The Royal Command of His Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck granted to the Royal Civil Service Commission:
“Keeping in mind that in a small country like Bhutan, it is the bureaucracy’s example that will be followed, strengthening the civil service would be the first step to creating a strong foundation for a successful democracy. The civil service must strive for the highest standards, live by higher ideals and nurture a sense of duty towards fellow Bhutanese. Therefore, the Royal Civil Service Commission should focus on bringing about required reforms of the civil service, in time for it to facilitate and support the emergence of democracy, meet the challenges of building dynamic economy and to fulfill its role in achieving the goals of Gross National Happiness.”
-12th of March 2007, Tashichho Dzong CIVIL SERVICE MILESTONES
Civil Service Milestones
1973
The Department of Manpower was created under the Ministry of Development to manage Civil Service administration.
1982
The RCSC was formally established as Bhutan’s central personnel agency to ensure civil service efficiency, loyalty, and integrity.
1989
Bhutan introduced the Cadre System, classifying occupations into eight cadres with a structured hierarchy of 17 grades.
1990
The first edition of Bhutan Civil Service Rules and Regulations (BCSR 1990) was published, ensuring fair and efficient HR management.
2002
The second BCSR edition focused on professionalism, honesty, and efficiency in service delivery.
1999
A major governance reform emphasized efficiency, transparency, and accountability. The RCSC was tasked with job classification, merit-based promotions, and e-governance initiatives.
2005-2006
The Cadre System was replaced by the Position Classification System (PCS) to promote a merit-based and apolitical civil service.
2007
Decentralized recruitment processes for certain positions to local agencies; an Organizational Development (OD) exercise was conducted to optimize staffing and structure.
2008
The Constitution of Bhutan enshrined the RCSC as a Constitutional body, ensuring it remains apolitical and professional in upholding ethics, integrity, and good governance.
