Prime Minister, Dr Lotay Tshering, addressed the issue of regularising consolidated contract employees during the Question Hour in the National Assembly session today. While the final decision lies with the Royal Civil Service Commission, the Prime Minister supported the RCSC’s decision to allow those willing to appear in the Bhutan Civil Service Examination multiple times including contract employees, which aids in their regularisation process.
During the question hour session, Member of Parliament from Maenbi-Tsaenkhar constituency in Lhuentse, Choki Gyeltshen, raised concerns about the progress of the resolution to regularise consolidated contract employees, which was passed by the parliament two years ago.
The prime minister acknowledged the challenges faced by contract teachers and highlighted that the decision to convert consolidated contracts to regular contracts falls under the jurisdiction of the RCSC, governed by their established rules and regulations.
“It’s not that we are not aware of the issue. But it is difficult as we have to follow a lot of procedures. When the motion was passed, I raised a question about this. While the Parliament can pass resolutions, it does not have the authority to alter RCSC’s decision. However, the deliberations are going well and we hope that we will have something concrete.”
About the BCSE exam, the prime minister said that the recent change allowing those willing to appear in the BCSE exam multiple times, including contract employees, will help them in their regularisation process.
“Previously, contract teachers who had been working for many years had to start at the P5 grade level upon passing the RCSC exam. However, the recent change ensures that their contract duration and seniority will be considered when transitioning to regular contracts, eliminating the need to start from the bottom grade.”
Currently, there are 5,000 civil servants employed under different contracts, including about 2,000 teachers.
According to the Civil Service Rules and Regulations, consolidated contract employees receive lump sum amount as salary, house rent, and repatriation benefits pegged to civil servant position levels but are not eligible for annual increments, contract allowance, provident fund and pension.
And regular contract employees receive monthly pay, house rent, and repatriation benefits pegged to civil servant position levels and an additional 30 per cent contract allowance but not provident and pension benefits.
Meanwhile, the prime minister mentioned the ongoing discussions with the RCSC regarding Dzongkha teachers facing difficulties in the Preliminary Examination, particularly in mathematics, due to a lack of background in the subject.
Deki Lhazom
Edited by Sonam Pem
