3,696 candidates register as confidence varies over new competency-based assessment
TIL BDR GHALLEY | Thimphu
With thousands of aspiring local leaders preparing for a revised competency test, confidence among candidates is mixed. While some see the assessment as necessary to ensure capable grassroots leadership, others remain uncertain about what to expect and whether they have received enough information to prepare.
A total of 3,696 aspiring candidates registered for the Functional Literacy and Possession of Skills Test (FLT) for the second phase of the Fourth Local Government Elections 2027 before registration closed on August 10.
Of the total, 2,227 registered for Level I, covering Gup, Mangmi and Thromde Ngotshab, while 1,469 registered for Level II, covering Gewog Tshogpa and Thromde Tshogpa.
The numbers show strong interest in local leadership, but the revised FLT has also created uncertainty among some candidates, particularly those unfamiliar with the new competency-based approach.
Under Section 178(d) of the Election Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2008, a candidate for an elective Local Government office must be functionally literate and possess the skills adequate to discharge his or her duties. The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) assesses this requirement through the FLT.
The ECB’s Rules on Elections Conduct also cite Section 178(d) and the 2009 Guidelines for Implementation of Section 178(d) relating to Functional Literacy and Possession of Skills as the basis for the requirement.
The revised assessment goes beyond a narrow test of reading and writing. The ECB has adopted a competency-based approach that assesses functional competencies, including computational, communication and digital skills.
The change comes as local governments take on increasingly complex responsibilities involving administration, development planning, public service delivery, government correspondence and digital systems.
For the second phase of the 2027 elections, the ECB has introduced two competency levels. A Level I certificate is required for candidates seeking the posts of Gup, Mangmi and Thromde Ngotshab, while a Level II certificate is required for Gewog and Thromde Tshogpa candidates.
For some candidates, the revised FLT is a positive development because it could help ensure that those elected have the basic competencies needed to perform their responsibilities.
A Tshogpa aspirant said the assessment could help prevent elections from becoming purely popularity-based contests.
“Without the FLT, there is a possibility that people can influence voters and get votes even if they are not deserving of the responsibility. A competency test gives voters some assurance that candidates have the basic skills needed for the job,” he said.
He said the revised assessment was particularly relevant because local government work increasingly involves digital services.
“Everything is online these days, so it is better to have leaders who know how to use online services efficiently,” he said.
But his confidence in the principle of the test does not extend to all aspects of the revised system.
A female candidate raised concerns about candidates who already hold an earlier FLT certificate and are eligible to contest Tshogpa posts without sitting the revised assessment.
Under the ECB’s current notification, candidates who already hold an ECB-issued FLT certificate and intend to contest for a Tshogpa post are not required to sit the revised FLT and remain eligible to contest based on their existing certificate.
The candidate said this could potentially make it harder for first-time and younger aspirants to compete against candidates who already have established community networks.
“Politics is also about who knows whom. A young candidate may have the skills, but an experienced candidate may already have strong support in the community,” she said.
She said the concern was not about excluding experienced candidates, but about ensuring that younger people are not discouraged from entering local politics.
A Gup aspirant said the introduction of a competency-based assessment was understandable given the responsibilities attached to the position.
The candidate said local government leaders now have to deal with budgets, development plans, reports, digital systems and coordination with government agencies.
For such responsibilities, the candidate said, basic literacy alone may not be enough and testing practical competencies could help determine whether aspiring leaders are prepared for the job.
However, the candidate also expressed concern about preparing for an assessment whose revised format is unfamiliar to many contestants.
The candidate said confidence in one’s ability to serve a community should not necessarily be confused with confidence in an examination.
The concern reflects a broader uncertainty among some aspiring local leaders, who may be confident in their ability to work with communities and address local issues but less certain about how those abilities will be assessed through the revised FLT.
For some candidates in remote areas, the uncertainty is more immediate. A Mangmi aspirant said he was still not confident about the revised FLT and remained in a dilemma over the assessment.
He said much of the awareness about the revised test had been disseminated through the ECB’s social media platforms rather than being communicated directly to candidates at the gewog level.
“We are still in a dilemma because we have not received enough direct awareness about the revised criteria and what exactly will be tested,” he said.
He said candidates in remote communities may not always have the same access to online information and preparation resources as those in urban areas.
The candidate questioned whether the awareness programme should have included more direct engagement with aspiring candidates at the gewog level, particularly given that the test is an eligibility requirement for several local government positions.
His concern raises a broader question about whether all candidates have had equal access to information about the revised assessment before sitting for it.
For candidates, another question is whether an examination can fully capture the qualities required of a local leader.
Some aspiring leaders view the test as a necessary minimum standard, particularly as local governments become more dependent on digital systems and formal administrative processes.
Others believe that practical experience, communication with communities and the ability to solve problems are equally important qualities that may not be fully captured through a written examination or viva.
The revised FLT attempts to address some of these concerns by assessing candidates through both written and oral components.
But candidates remain divided over whether the revised assessment adequately reflects the realities of local leadership.
For those who are confident, the test represents an opportunity to demonstrate that they are prepared for the responsibilities of elected office.
For others, the concern is less about their ability to serve and more about whether they understand what the new assessment requires.
The contrasting views reveal a distinction between confidence in serving communities and confidence in taking the new assessment.
“A person may have years of experience working with people and understanding local issues, but that does not necessarily mean they will be confident in an unfamiliar examination,” the incumbent Gup said. “Similarly, someone may be comfortable with the written test but have less experience dealing with the practical challenges of local leadership.”
The revised FLT is therefore testing more than whether candidates can read and write. It is intended to establish whether aspiring local leaders possess the functional skills required for increasingly complex local government responsibilities.
The question now is whether candidates feel sufficiently informed and prepared to demonstrate those skills.
The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) has scheduled the written Functional Competency Assessment (FCA) for September 1, and Functional Competency Engagement (FCE), or viva voce, from September 2 to 4.
