Government May Invoke Legal Provisions If RCSC Fails to Act on Recommendations: NA Deputy Speaker

The government may be compelled to invoke legal provisions if the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) fails to implement recommendations made by the Good Governance Committee (GGC), according to Deputy Speaker Sangay Khandu.

Speaking at the post-session press conference, the Deputy Speaker said Parliament is aware that the Managing for Excellence (MaX) system, particularly its bell curve or forced-ranking mechanism, is not functioning effectively and is demotivating civil servants.

He said the issue has been repeatedly raised in successive parliamentary sessions, but has yet to yield meaningful outcomes. Parliament, he added, remains uncertain whether the matter will be resolved in the next session.

However, he emphasized that the RCSC should be given sufficient time to implement the recommendations, noting that the Commission is already aware of the concerns and is working on possible reforms.

The Deputy Speaker said the MaX system is currently being implemented in a partial and transitional manner following ongoing reforms. While acknowledging its limitations, he said the system has nonetheless produced some results.

He cautioned that excessive parliamentary intervention could risk destabilizing the system, noting that the RCSC, as a constitutional body, has its own mandate and procedures for reviewing and revising civil service frameworks.

Deputy Chairperson of the Good Governance Committee, Kinzang Wangchuk, also noted that Parliament does not have the authority to direct the RCSC, and can only make recommendations.

“We can only offer recommendations,” he said.

The recommendations stem from concerns raised over the MaX system, which the committee said was introduced with the intention of improving accountability, performance awareness, and fair evaluation, but has instead created challenges for many civil servants.

The committee conducted consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including school principals, dzongdags, and civil servants from major ministries such as the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

According to Kinzang Wangchuk, the RCSC introduced the MaX system to enhance performance management and strengthen merit-based evaluation. However, consultations revealed widespread dissatisfaction, with some civil servants reportedly opting for early retirement due to the system.

He said similar performance management systems have been implemented in countries such as Japan, Singapore, and Australia, where they also faced challenges in practice.

“In those countries, the system was used to identify and remove non-performers. In Bhutan, where there is already a shortage of human resources and high attrition, it does not function in the same way,” he said.

A key concern, he noted, is the forced-ranking component, which requires agencies to classify a fixed percentage of employees under the “Partially Meets Expectations” category, regardless of overall performance.

Referring to consultations with the President of the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, he said that even among a small group of doctors with comparable performance, some are still placed in the lower category due to quota requirements.

“This creates challenges within the system and eventually leads to demotivation and retirement,” he said.

Other Members of Parliament also noted that if the forced-ranking element is removed or revised, the remaining aspects of the system do not pose major concerns.

The Deputy Chairperson further highlighted that although the MaX system has been in place for nearly five years, high performers have not received sufficient incentives, while employees requiring improvement have not been adequately supported through training and capacity-building measures.

He added that the RCSC is aware of these concerns and has begun reviewing the issues associated with the system.

The committee noted that there is currently no immediate mechanism to remove the forced-ranking component, and no alternative framework has yet been formally proposed by the RCSC. However, it has recommended a phased removal of the system.

The Good Governance Committee has made four key recommendations to the RCSC. It has called for a comprehensive review and reform of the bell curve or forced-ranking system, which has faced widespread criticism from civil servants.

It has also recommended the establishment of stronger fairness and grievance redress mechanisms to improve transparency and address concerns related to bias and inconsistency in performance evaluations.

In addition, the committee has urged the introduction of meaningful incentives for high performers, alongside structured support systems for employees who require improvement.

It further recommended the development of sector-sensitive performance assessment frameworks that take into account the distinct roles and responsibilities of different professions within the civil service.

Nidup Lhamo, Thimphu

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