𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬

…𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝑪𝑻 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔

By Kinzang Lhamo

The civil service is experiencing a significant wave of attrition, with over 2,300 employees leaving the system in the 2024–2025 reporting period, raising concerns over a potential brain drain in sectors critical to national development. Data from the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) indicate that 2,377 civil servants separated during the year, of which 1,574 were voluntary resignations, representing 5.2 percent of the workforce of 30,107. While lower than the 16 percent peak in 2023, the departure of experienced staff continues to strain services, weaken institutional memory, and challenge the government’s modernization agenda under His Majesty’s Diamond Strategy.

Between January 2021 and August 2024, 1,140 mid-career civil servants with 15 to 20 years of service voluntarily resigned. Many cited access to lump sum pension and provident fund benefits, while others left for career changes, further studies, or family reasons. The departures were most pronounced in education and training, which lost 373 staff, agriculture and forestry with 158, architecture and engineering with 111, finance and audit with 95, and health services with 36. These losses are affecting classrooms, hospitals, and technical departments, where service quality is already showing strain.

Teachers have been leaving in large numbers, undermining school stability and reducing mentorship opportunities for younger recruits. “With limited pay and fewer incentives compared to private institutions, many skilled teachers hesitate to join or remain in the public system. This also reduces mentorship opportunities for new educators, weakening the foundation of our teaching force,” said Thinley Namgay, a civil servant in Thimphu.

He added that the shortage of specialists in critical subjects is already affecting students. “Without enough specialists in fields like math, science, literacy, and information and communication technology, our students face greater struggles, and vital initiatives such as e-governance and digital services risk falling behind.”

The ICT sector is also under pressure, with staff shortages slowing digitization projects central to the Diamond Strategy. Residents report delays and system malfunctions caused by the absence of ICT officers. “These days, every time we need to process documents, we end up running from one office to another,” said Tshering Dorji, a Thimphu resident. “Often, the staff shortage means services are delayed, and people like us face so much inconvenience. Even the online services don’t function properly most of the time. They tell us it’s because there is no IT officer to keep the system running.”

Health services, especially in rural areas, are similarly strained. Limited numbers of doctors and specialists mean that even small departures create noticeable gaps. “It is very exhausting for us to get health services,” said Rinchen Dorji from Wangdue. “In rural areas, there is often no proper equipment for treatment, and we are forced to travel long distances to Thimphu in the hope of getting better care. Sometimes we return home without even getting a token. I feel the main reason for this shortage of services is the lack of medical experts here.”

In August 2024, the Cabinet revised Pension Rules and Regulations, raising the eligibility threshold for lump sum withdrawals from 20 to 23 years of service to retain professionals longer. However, many fear it may only delay attrition rather than prevent it. Data show that 29.38 percent of resignations were for further studies, 14.29 percent for better career opportunities, and 13.07 percent for family-related reasons. Nearly four in ten who left had considered it for over a year, while a third made the decision within three months, highlighting both long-term discontent and short-term triggers.

Recruitment continues through competitive examinations, and initiatives such as the Emerging Talent program and paid internships aim to attract youth. Yet these measures cannot fully replace the expertise of seasoned professionals, nor prevent the perception of civil service as a stepping stone to private or overseas opportunities. Many young entrants view public service as temporary rather than a lifelong career.

“For a long time, our country has been following an old way of working,” said Dema, a civil servant. “With His Majesty highlighting the Diamond Strategy, we now have the chance to see a new working environment. Digitization and mobility will not only make work smoother but also deliver faster and better results.” She cautioned, however, that attrition could slow reforms. “The risk of the ongoing brain drain is real. We may end up with fewer knowledgeable and skilled people in critical fields, which will slow progress on development goals and result in ineffective outcomes.”

The Diamond Strategy envisions a modern, merit-based civil service capable of supporting an intelligent economy. The continuing loss of skilled professionals threatens this vision, as classrooms without experienced teachers weaken human capital, malfunctioning ICT systems stall digitization, and hospitals without specialists limit equitable access to care. Yet reforms, from career development programs to digitization, offer a pathway forward. With improved incentives and stronger retention measures, the civil service can evolve into a more efficient and responsive system. For many, the hope is that today’s attrition challenge can become an opportunity to strengthen the foundation for the country’s future.