The convocation for graduates of colleges under Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) from 2019 to date is likely to be held by October this year, according to Vice Chancellor Nidup Dorji.

More than 10,000 graduates from about 10 colleges under the university are expected to the event which is tentatively scheduled between September and October this year. 

Of the 14,000 students who have graduated from the colleges in the past four years, about 3,600 have already taken their certificates from the Office of the Vice Chancellor as of May 22.

The convocation, which used to be an annual event, could not be held for the past four batches owing to the pandemic and other restrictions. 

Nidup Dorji said that those graduates who took the certificates were mostly headed abroad for study and the university supported them with convenient procedures.

When it comes to lengthy procedures to avail certificate as some graduates say, Nidup Dorji said that it used to be in the past. “With more graduates opting to go abroad the procedure has been relooked into and made easier,” he said. 

“We do not ask for more documents other than a confirmation letter from the university and it isn’t a problem if you are going to study”, Nidup Dorji said.

The certificates, Nidup Dorji said, are all signed and kept ready for the graduates.

“If they wish to collect their certificates, it won’t take a long time.”

However, he reminded the graduates that it may take time if it is a lost or misplaced case in which the university has to send the documents to Delhi to print.

He also said that with the launch of National Digital Identity (NDI), the university is also exploring making the certificates accessible online in the future.

The RUB will also explore the possibilities of including the graduates of 2023 if everything goes as planned, according to the vice chancellor.

If they are included in the convocation ceremony, there would be approximately 13,000 graduates attending the event.

RUB held its first convocation in 2011.