The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A recent Facebook post by singer and social media personality Tandin Wangmo alleging that she was not informed on time by the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) for her cadet officer selection interview garnered a lot of attention and support online.
Tandin Wangmo wrote in her post on Thursday saying, “Afterinvesting 3 years studying forensic science with the hope to get in RBP I got a reality check today. I applied for the officer cadet for RBP right after the vacancy was announced. I even checked the pattern starting from the announcement of shortlisted candidates to the physical screening test of last year just to make sure that I won’t miss when they announce the result. I kept on checking their website and even checked my phone time and again expecting a call from RBP. Yesterday around 8 PM I checked the website again, together with my acho (elder brother). I found they didn’t announce the result. Believe me I checked the website very carefully like I did since the day I applied for the slot.”
She then said that on Thursday morning she got heartbreaking news when the RBP called her at 9.30 am to inform her that she she had been disqualified as she was supposed to arrive at the selection venue at 8.30 am sharp.
She said she missed the result uploaded on 10th February but she does not know how she missed it as she had kept checking time and again. She questioned RBP saying why they could not call or email the selected candidates and why the website did not mention they would disqualify candidates who did not report on time.
The Bhutanese found that out of 15 selected candidates for the cadet officer selection interview only nine people attended the selection interview. This means that six candidates did not even come to the venue.
The Bhutanese talked to another participant who like Tandin also missed the selection interview even though she was one of the 15 shortlisted candidates. On the condition of anonymity, she said, “I did not go to the selection interview since I could not find the announcement and I made sure I checked it.”
Of the nine who came six of them were shortlisted for the next round of the selection process. Out of the six, one of the shortlisted candidates withdrew her application leaving five final candidates for the final round.
There are five vacancies in the category but a RBP source said only those who clear the final round will be selected.
The Bhutanese also talked to two of the five final shortlisted candidates and they said that announcements were made on time by the Royal Bhutan Police.
One of them said, “I do not remember the date however the announcements were made early on.”
Another said, “Yes, the announcement was made on time. One of my friends called me and informed me about the announcement on the RBP website and that’s how I came to know about it.”
A RBP official said, “A candidate selection announcement was made on January 24, 2023, shortlisting was completed on February 10, and on the same day, shortlisted candidates werepublished online and they were to report on February 16 to the RBP mess for selection.”
“All the time in the world was given for them as five days’ travel time is given,” the RBP official added.
RBP sources said that for a successful online registration, a candidate needs to submit all the documents mentioned in the announcement made by the RBP.
It was on the basis of the submission of the documents by the candidates that they were disqualified or qualified for the next round of the selection process.
After that process, the shortlisted candidates were announced immediately on February 10.
“It was said that if a candidate does not reach on time, it will result in disqualification,” said the RBP official.
When the reporter contacted Tandin Wangmo and informed her of the police version, she said she is still dissatisfied with the fact that they were unable to call the chosen candidates.
“It is not like the selections for constables, where you need to call 300 of them, but ours is only fifteen out of one hundred. I believe it is possible, as they have the resources,” Tandin justified.
Tandin said her post was not meant to degrade anyone.
She said, “It was just to inform youth to be more vigilant, and also as a singer, I was just trying to share my experiences with my followers.”
“It was also not to get a second chance,” she added.
I being a youth myself have also experience such kind of reality check like singer Tandin after I graduated from high school and was applying for various scholarships. I think what Tandin have said is right as other disqualified candidates were also not informed by the RBP unlike the selected candidates who were informed. Tandin Wangmo is a voice for voiceless who have experienced this kind of reality check by those corrupt officials.