Bhutan Civil Service Main Examination (General Category) key terms

Bhutan's development philosophy holding that policy should balance material progress with cultural, environmental, and psychological wellbeing; measured through periodic national surveys and screening of proposed policies.

The four foundations of Gross National Happiness: sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of culture, conservation of the environment, and good governance.

A checklist used by Bhutanese agencies to assess whether proposed policies or projects are likely to increase or reduce happiness, guiding revisions before approval.

Bhutan's supreme law, adopted by referendum and promulgated in 2008; it establishes a constitutional monarchy, fundamental rights, and the framework of parliamentary democracy.

Dzongkha for 'three roots': King, Country, and People. It expresses the triple loyalty expected of citizens and is a common reference in Bhutanese official discourse.

Dzongkha title meaning 'Dragon King', used for the monarch of Bhutan. The title reflects the country's name Druk Yul, land of the thunder dragon.

Title of the spiritual and temporal ruler who unified Bhutan in the seventeenth century; Ngawang Namgyal, the first Zhabdrung, established the dual system of governance.

The Bhutanese state monastic body, responsible for religious affairs and education of monks. Its head is the Je Khenpo, and it receives state support under the Constitution.

The spiritual head of the Bhutanese state monastic body, appointed from among senior monks; the holder presides over religious ceremonies and advises on monastic matters.

Bhutan's upper house of Parliament, composed of twenty non-partisan members elected by gewog and thromde constituencies plus five eminent persons appointed by the King.

Bhutan's lower house of Parliament, with members elected from constituencies under a party-based system; it is the forum where the government's legislative programme is debated.

A district, the primary administrative division of Bhutan. Each dzongkhag is headed by a dzongdag and contains several gewogs; there are twenty dzongkhags in total.

A block of villages forming the lowest formal administrative unit in Bhutan, headed by a gup. Gewogs elect representatives to the National Council and local governments.

The elected head of a gewog in Bhutan, responsible for local administration, dispute mediation, and liaison between villagers and district authorities.

The senior civil servant appointed to head a dzongkhag administration in Bhutan, overseeing development, law and order, and coordination of local agencies.

A fortified monastery-fortress that historically served as the administrative and religious centre of a district in Bhutan; many remain seats of monastic and civil authority.

The traditional Bhutanese code of etiquette and conduct covering dress, speech, and behaviour in official and public settings; its observance is promoted as part of cultural preservation.

Bhutan's national dress: the gho is a knee-length robe worn by men, and the kira is an ankle-length wrap worn by women; both are required in official settings.

The national language of Bhutan, written in the Tibetan-derived Uchen script and taught in schools; it is the medium of much official communication and civil service work.

The block-style script used to write Dzongkha and classical Tibetan texts in Bhutan, characterised by distinct horizontal head strokes; it is taught in Dzongkha literacy classes.

A Nepali-related language spoken by Bhutanese communities of southern origin; it is one of the recognised languages of Bhutan alongside Dzongkha and several Sharchop and Bumthang dialects.

The supreme law code promulgated in 1953 under King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, which codified Bhutanese law and is regarded as an early step toward modern legal order.

The formal ceremony marking the accession of a Bhutanese monarch; the 2008 Constitution requires the King to be crowned within a set period after accession.

Income earned by Bhutan from selling electricity generated by its Himalayan rivers, mainly to India; it is a major source of government revenue and export earnings.

The arrangement under which the Bhutanese ngultrum is pegged at par to the Indian rupee, which circulates freely in Bhutan and underpins trade and monetary stability.

The currency of Bhutan, divided into one hundred chetrum. Its name derives from Dzongkha words meaning 'silver' and 'coin', and it is pegged to the Indian rupee.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, a regional grouping of eight South Asian states of which Bhutan is a founding member; it promotes cooperation on trade and development.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, a grouping linking South and Southeast Asian states; Bhutan participates in its sectoral cooperation programmes.

A foreign policy stance of not joining military blocs; Bhutan has historically avoided formal alliances while maintaining close ties with India and expanding diplomatic relations.

A sentence, usually at the start of a paragraph, that states the paragraph's main idea and signals what the following sentences will support or illustrate.

A concise sentence in an essay's introduction that states the central argument or position; the body paragraphs then develop and support it.

The use of linking devices, pronouns, and repeated key terms to connect sentences and paragraphs so that a text reads as a unified whole.

Two ways of presenting an action: active voice makes the doer the subject, while passive voice makes the receiver the subject; official writing often favours active voice for clarity.

The skill of condensing a passage into a shorter version that preserves its essential meaning, usually to about one third of the original length, in one's own words.

The study and practice of implementing government policy through civil services, covering organisation, budgeting, personnel management, and accountability to the public.

The conduct of public affairs through transparent, accountable, participatory, and rule-bound institutions; it is a stated objective of Bhutanese reform and donor cooperation.

A hierarchical administrative system organised by rules, defined roles, and written records; it enables large-scale public services but can be criticised for rigidity and red tape.

The transfer of authority and resources from central government to local bodies such as dzongkhags and gewogs, intended to improve responsiveness and local participation.