What exists beyond hope that keeps you strong?

source:  theturningyear.wordpress.com

Impermanence is a law of nature that governs the world.

The world, it’s intricate with transient phenomenon.

Man has learnt that beauty is short lived

The flowers will fade, dews will dry

So will be the mortal body as it ages and aches.

Man aspires for success, which others says is a result of hard work,

Some says god helps those who help themselves,

For others success simply comes their way with quirk of luck

Yet for few, none of these favours for fate governs the present life.

Handwork goes unpaid, and fate makes a transit twist.

God seems deaf and blesses no solution,

Luck is but a hope as ill fate overwhelms the deeds.

Clouds remain darker as ever without a silver lining,

The tunnel sees no light at its end.

Life is but a sequel of problems leaving behind an eerie nightmare,

Nights are sleepless and daylights seem doomed.

Foods seem insipid and the painful beats of heart irk the stomach.

I hoped and hoped and hoped for the best,

Amidst the mazes of disparity and mental pains,

And for the first time, I sensed that Murphy’s Law governs the world.

The beautiful part of life has gone leaving sad resonations.

The future seems blurred as the present is disturbed,

Disturbed as agony of past reverberates and the path is blocked.

In the net of tyrants, I am entangled.

Somnambulism is what haunts me every single night.

With the hopes diminishing with each passing day,

So is my mental strength which remained alive for years.

Man survive with hope, will man die with the loss of hope?

If not what will keep man alive?

As the NGOP 2012 Ends.

The National Graduate Orientation Programme 2012 kicked off on 13^th August 2012 with the theme “Inspiring Young Leaders of Happiness”. Due to overwhelmingly large number of graduates this year, unlike the previous NGOPs, this year the NGOP was conducted in two different halls of YDF Hall and Taekwondo Hall so the resource persons and speakers were required to repeat the same speeches in the different halls. The MoLHR has recorded the number of graduates in 2012 at 2,263 as compared to 1,659 in 2011, an increase by 36% from previous year, which is one of the highest increments so far.

source: kuensel.

Since the opening session on 13^th August where His Excellency Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba of Ministry of Works and Human Settlement gave a keynote address stressing on how important education is and that we achieved certain level of education by completing our first university degrees, His Excellency said that we should make the best use of the weapon, viz.., education, and serve the nation with commitment and enthusiasm. Subsequently, we the graduates got a wonderful privilege to receive words of wisdom precious than gold and remarkable speeches that inspired us to face the challenges ahead from all the Cabinet Minister and the Chief Justice of the Judiciary. We were briefed on various government policies, achievements in the past and the objectives they aspire to fulfil in the future. Other resource persons included ACC Chairman, Chief Election Commissioner of ECB, Commissioner from RCSC, Auditor General Of RAA, heads from DHI and BCCI, and few inspiring Entrepreneurs including the founder of Happy Corporative.

More fortunate we got a wonderful opportunity to interact with our Honourable Prime Minister, Lyonchen Jigme Y. Thinley, on the fifth day of the orientation programme. His Excellency reminded we graduates regarding how grateful our parents are and we were told that we should always fulfil the aspirations of our gracious parents and help them when they need us the most, i.e. old age. Lyonchen said that the person who can repay back to their parents can be the most helpful person in the society and can serve the nation at best. Lyonchen, unlike during the other sessions, have responded to maximum number of questions and queries from the graduates ranging from matters like rural urban migration, issue of trowa theatre, Bhutan’s wish of joining UN Security Council, Taxation Policies, etc. thus enlightening the blurred thoughts of our graduates.

source: K2

On the evening of Saturday, the 18^th August, a Jam Session was organized where the graduates had an exciting Post University Jam Session, meeting many old and new friends thus creating yet another memory of the NGOP 2012. Besides the graduates made small contributions for Wangdue Phodrang Dzong Re-construction, the sum of which reached some Nu. 1,30,000. The following day, we made a little effort in cleaning the Thimphu city with a campaign theme, “Our Waste, Our Responsibility,” which was appreciated and supported by the Mayor of Thimphu City, Dasho Kinley Dorji as expressed in his keynote speech.

Yet the most exciting moment was on Monday the 20^th August, when we the graduates got an audience with His Majesty the King, who was accompanied by Her Majesty, Gyaltsun Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, Her Royal Highness the Princesses Azhi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck and Azhi Kezang Choden Wangchuck. Being Bhutanese is not a pride but humility, for the highest authority with greatest modesty graces the grassroots with utmost love and compassion. We are simply lucky to be Bhutanese and most fortunate that we could avail best education under their benevolent reigns. His Majesty besides reiterating our responsibility of serving our nation  narrating his childhood memory, and also reminded us that we should love our country intelligently for our country. Her Royal Highness the Princesses Azhi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck and Azhi Kezang Choden Wangchuck awarded NGOP certificates, and finally NGOP 2012 was all over with a Luncheon.

    Having known the government policies, having understood the employment prospects and having received priceless words of encouragement from the highest authority in the country and many other esteemed Dashos and Lyonpos, now it is all in the hands of graduates to whether absorb the inspiration and take up the opportunities as it comes and shoulder the responsibility of serving the nation with utmost dedication and loyalty.

NGOP 2012- “Inspiring Young Leaders of Happiness.”

Though filled with anxiety and worries seeing the limited vacancies for the overwhelmingly large number of graduates this year, for a time being there is no denying the fact that our fresh university graduates are happy for they have achieved a milestone in their life by successfully completing their Bachelors Degree in the field of their interest from the colleges within and abroad. By referring this I am writing about the National Graduate Orientation Programme 2012, the most expensive, educative, ecstatic and very special programme organized by Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan, in which I am a part.

source: BBS.

On 9^th August, we had our briefing session followed by keynote presentation on electoral process in the Kingdom of Bhutan from the Election Commission of Bhutan, which was headed by Chief Election Commissioner, Dasho Kuenzang Wangdi. In an inaugural speech, the graduates were welcomed back to the country to serve the nation and the Hon. Secretary of MoLHR, Dasho Pema Wangda on behalf of the Royal Government, presented a hearty congratulatory note and he introduced to the graduates, the theme for the weeklong NGOP 2012, “Inspiring Young Leaders of Happiness”.

Happiness is not just a jumbled word but it is a congregation of sacred letters so arranged to form a term, which every sentient beings desire to have. People by virtue of the fact that they wish to be happy, the United Nations has unanimously agreed to give it the utmost priority as an important component in the nations developmental paradigm, as the much-acclaimed term Gross National Happiness spread to the international arena from the tiny Himalaya Kingdom of Bhutan. From 2013 onwards, we will be celebrating an International Day of Happiness on 20^th March.

As per the schedule, starting 13^th August till 18^th August, the graduates will be oriented with three main components namely Policy Orientation, Cultural Orientation and Personal Development by resource speakers from various Ministries of the Government and other agencies. With the delivery of these three components, the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources intent to groom and inspire the much-awaited young leaders as they are at the threshold of serving the nation with dedication, loyalty and commitment, and for Bhutan is Land of GNH, the graduates are termed the Young Leaders of Happiness.

During the writing of the Preliminary Examinations on 11^th August, the passage for English Comprehension was a relevant topic. In the passage, one great personality advised the graduates to learn from mistakes and take the opportunities as it comes, because in waiting for the better opportunities, we might miss the right opportunity. The next advice from another personality was to be selfless and serve for the betterment of others and the renowned Steve Jobs advises the graduates to pursue their passion. Having read so even in the examination halls, I am sure that our graduates can pursue happiness and radiate the beams of happiness to others by being optimistic, pragmatic and dynamic in the coming days, and for now I am hopeful that we can gain the best from the NGOP 2012 and get inspired to become the True Leaders of Happiness.

Happy National Graduate Orientation Programme 2012 for all those who are attending it and make the best memories of your post university days.

More Graduates, Limited Vacancies.

Bhutan being a young country with more than 60% of the population being youths between the ages of 10 and 29 years, it is high time that the nation prepares to provide a secure place for the youths and adolescents in the society. They being the future citizens are the jewel of the nation and to have a jewel that is worth appreciating is the aspiration of our fore generations. The government has made every possible attempt to attain 100% enrolment by making primary education compulsory for every child thus providing a base for securing the future of the youths. The parents too realized the importance of education so they try to give the best education to their children and the children, with wide range of dreams endeavor to complete a minimum qualification of Bachelors Degree. This indeed is a stirring move for the young country, but for the graduates, their move is not yet over.

With the number of university graduates increasing at a high rate each year and the vacancies in civil service remaining low, the once so aspiring youths are to face the future, which they anticipated to be a colorful one in a doomed and often chaotic state. As per the press release from the Royal Civil Service Commission, a total of 2,623 university graduates e-registered for Bhutan Civil Service Examinations (BCSE 2012), with an annual increase in graduate registration of approximately 42% over the previous year, which saw only 1856.  The RCSC has declared 597 vacancies in Civil Service for successful BSCE 2012 graduates, which is an increase by 32% compared to 451 vacancies of 2011.

Looking into the above data, though there is certain percentage increase in the vacancies this year, the increase is not proportionate to that of the increase in number of graduates. Simply speaking, the graduate to vacancy ratio is approximately 4.5:1, but in reality, there is uneven competition as the vacancies are differentiated into technical category and general category including teaching. Of the total vacancies, 279 falls under technical category that have almost equal ratio of graduates to vacancies in many specializations except for BCA, Engineering and few other specializations. Of the 713 technical graduates registered, 300 are IT graduates which have only 7 vacancies. 255 vacancies are exclusively for teaching fraternity, which as of today is a least preferred option. Therefore, approximately 1655 university graduates have to compete for 72 seats in general category. This ratio is without considering the result of the Preliminary Examinations, which will happen on 11^th August 2012.

Even with the best pursuit, some 2026 graduates will have no options but to look beyond the civil service at the end of the year. Of this, a large proportion will consists of graduates who have pursued undergraduate programme in general subjects, who will have to fight in the local job market like corporations, private firms, NGOs, etc.., so the competition for a better job will be tougher for the graduates in general and general graduates in specific. Considering some 1000 graduates get absorbed in various above mentioned local job markets and few venturing into entrepreneurship setups and business enterprises, there is going to be a deficit of still 1000 jobs. Farming, though it is a backbone for the nation’s self-sufficiency in food production, it will no more remain as a preferential occupation for the university graduates, so where should the remaining graduates go?

With a clear conscience and unwavering focus, there will be always a way, so what is important is to keep the hopes alive and will determined. It is vital that we aim for the better opportunities, but it is never a worst idea to take up the small jobs that comes our way as the Buddhist saying goes, “The task so mighty is accomplished through slow but continued pace and not with pride and ferocity. It is the small stream that flows calmly which covers a thousand miles and not the aggressive oceanic wave.”

For now, Best Wishes to All the University Graduates who are writing the BCSE 2012.