Education: The intake for in-country tertiary education has increased by 201 slots in the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) compared to last year with the opening of Rigney College in Trashiyangtse and Gyalpozhing College in Mongar.

The over all in-take in both the Royal University of Bhutan and ex-country undergraduate scholarships has increased to 2,701 slots from 2,509 in 2016. Slots for ex-country scholarships however decreased to 194 from 203 in 2016.

The number of slots in the RUB increased to 2,507 from 2,306 slots in 2016. Gyalpoizhing College will offer 80 slots in Bachelor of Computer Applications. BA in Language and Literature for 10 students will be offered at Rigney College.

But only four of the 10 seats at Rigney College will be offered to students from other streams since six will be given to students from language and cultural studies. The programme in Rigney College is slated to start by the second week of July this year. The specific date for reporting will be announced later.

The major increase in the intake comes with the College of Natural Resources (CNR) in Lobesa offering 245 slots compared to 142, the previous year. The intake in CNR increased with introduction of new course, B.Sc in Food Science and Technology, which will take 40 students.

The remaining increase in slots is also from increasing slots for B.Sc in Sustainable Development. The intake in this course has been increased to 80 from 30, last year. Two slots each for other courses like B.Sc in Agriculture, B.Sc in Animal Science and B.Sc in Forestry have been raised while slots for B.Sc in Environment and Climate Studies has increased to 35 from 28 in 2016.

Intake for self-funding students has also increased to 60 from 38. The eight colleges like Sherubtse, Gaedu College of Business Studies and College of Science of Technology will also take 689 students under self-funding. No slots are offered under self-funding in both Gyalpoizhing and Rigney colleges.

The intake for self-funding students under the Royal University of Bhutan has also increased by 33 this year from 656 in 2016.

On the flip side, Sherubtse College, College of Science and Technology, Jigme Namgyel Engineering College, and Samtse College of Education have reduced slots this year. Sherubtse College will take 442 students for various courses in humanities against 453 in 2016.

But the college has increased slots for self-funding from 129 to 147 this year. CST has also reduced slots for its courses from 182 in 2016 to 168, this year. Slots for self-funding was also reduced in CST.

The Samtse College of Education will take only 149 this year from 152, the previous year. JNEC has also reduced its intake by three. This year, Paro College of Education has increased its intake to 240 from 231 in 2016.

The intake for College of Language and Cultural Studies (CLCS) and Gaedu College of Business Studies have both remained the same. CLCS has announced 330 slots, the same number as last year. GCBS will be taking 350 students, which remains unchanged from 2016.

Three class XII students of total 8,830 who passed their exams will have to vie for one slot of undergraduate programme either inside or outside the country.

Tempa Wangdi

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