Bhutan Scouts Association
Bhutan Scouts Association, also known as Druk Scout Tshogpa, is Bhutan's national coeducational scouting organization and a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Bhutan Scouts Association, also known as Druk Scout Tshogpa, is the national scouting organization of Bhutan. It provides a school- and community-based educational program for children, adolescents, and young adults, using the Scout Promise and Law as a framework for character development, citizenship, service, and personal growth. The association is coeducational and forms part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Scouting was introduced in Bhutan in 1970. The movement subsequently developed through cooperation between Bhutanese education authorities, international scouting bodies, and neighboring national scout organizations. In the 1990s, the World Scout Bureau's Asia-Pacific Region supported Unit Leader Training in cooperation with organizations including the Bharat Scouts and Guides, Bangladesh Scouts, the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association, the Scout Association of Japan, and the Canadian Scout Brotherhood Fund. Bhutan's Education Department also selected scouting as a channel for value education, and the first Basic Scout Unit Leaders training in Bhutan was held in 1997. The Bhutan Scout Tshogpa became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in July 1999, following its admission at the 35th World Scout Conference in Durban, South Africa. The association later expanded its international participation, sending scouts to world jamborees in Chile, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Bhutan also hosted the Asia-Pacific Regional First South Asia Foundation-Scout Friendship Camp in February 2002. The event brought together approximately 550 girls and boys from South Asian countries and used regional cooperation as its theme. The association's program is organized into three principal sections: Cub for primary-school students, Scout for secondary-school students, and Rover for students in tertiary institutions. Its stated educational purpose is the balanced development of physical, intellectual, social, spiritual, and emotional capacities. Activities can include pioneering, first aid, jungle survival, foot drill, rappelling, rafting, hiking, adventure training, and other practical or creative exercises. Guest lectures and group activities provide additional opportunities for learning and exchange. In 2009, Bhutan Scouts Association introduced Community Based Scouting in Thimphu. This initiative was intended to provide continuity beyond school participation and to treat scouting as a form of lifelong education. It also created channels for voluntary service to communities, institutions, and individuals. Scouts contributed to public service activities, including preparations for Bhutan's 2008 coronation celebrations, when they helped clean streets in the capital. The association's visual identity incorporates colors associated with the flag of Bhutan. Its membership badge uses a fleur-de-lis encircled by a khata, the traditional ceremonial scarf, linking the international emblem of scouting with Bhutanese cultural symbolism. The Scout motto in Dzongkha is Dra drig Bay, meaning approximately "Be prepared." Membership grew substantially during the 2010s. The association reported 18,170 members in 2011 and 76,876 members in 2021, indicating more than fourfold growth over that period. The available reference material does not establish a separate commercial product business, corporate ownership structure, current executive roster, or financial profile. Its principal public role is educational, civic, and voluntary rather than commercial.
History
Scouting reached Bhutan in 1970, establishing the foundation for a national youth movement centered on practical skills, character formation, service, and citizenship. During the 1990s, the movement received structured support from the World Scout Bureau's Asia-Pacific Region and partner organizations in South Asia, Japan, and Canada. Unit Leader Training courses began being organized from 1995, while Bhutan's Education Department created a Youth Guidance and Counseling Section in 1996 and selected scouting as one channel for value education in schools. The first Basic Scout Unit Leaders training in Bhutan took place in 1997 under the direction of international scout leader trainers. Bhutan's international integration accelerated in July 1999, when the Bhutan Scout Tshogpa was admitted to the World Organization of the Scout Movement at the organization's 35th World Scout Conference in Durban, South Africa. Bhutanese scouts then participated in major international gatherings, including the 1998 World Jamboree in Chile and later world jamborees in Thailand and the United Kingdom. These exchanges connected the Bhutanese program with the wider global scouting movement while allowing Bhutanese participants to represent their country's distinct cultural identity. The association also developed a regional role. From February 21 to 26, 2002, Bhutan hosted the Asia-Pacific Regional First South Asia Foundation-Scout Friendship Camp. Held with participation from districts including Thimphu, Punakha, and Wangdue, the camp brought together approximately 550 girls and boys from South Asian countries. Regional cooperation was the central theme, and the event demonstrated Bhutan's capacity to host international scouting activities despite the country's small size and mountainous geography. The first National Jamboree was held from January 31 to February 6, 2007. The following year, scouts contributed to preparations for Bhutan's coronation celebrations by helping clean streets in Thimphu. These activities illustrated the association's emphasis on public service in addition to formal youth training. The Bhutan Scouts Association's educational structure is school-based but extends into community settings. Cub activities serve primary-school children, the Scout section serves secondary-school students, and the Rover section serves young people in tertiary institutions. The program seeks all-round development across physical, intellectual, social, spiritual, and emotional dimensions. Training may cover pioneering, first aid, jungle survival, foot drill, rappelling, rafting, hiking, and other outdoor or creative activities, alongside lectures and group learning. In 2009, Community Based Scouting was introduced in Thimphu. The initiative was designed to preserve continuity after school participation and to frame scouting as lifelong education. It also provides opportunities for voluntary service to communities, institutions, and individuals. The association's growth was particularly pronounced in the following decade: reported membership increased from 18,170 in 2011 to 76,876 in 2021. The available sources do not provide a documented founding year for the association itself, a current leadership roster, financial information, or details of a commercial operating structure.
- 2021
Membership reported at 76,876
[1]Reported membership reached 76,876, representing more than fourfold growth from the 2011 figure.
- 2011
Membership reported at 18,170
[1]The association reported 18,170 members.
- 2009
Community Based Scouting launched in Thimphu
[1]A community-based program was introduced to extend participation beyond schools and support lifelong learning and voluntary service.
- 2007
First National Jamboree
[1]The association held its first National Jamboree from January 31 to February 6.
- 2002
South Asia Foundation-Scout Friendship Camp hosted in Bhutan
[1]Bhutan hosted a regional friendship camp from February 21 to 26, with approximately 550 young participants from South Asian countries.
- 1999
Admission to the World Organization of the Scout Movement
[1]The Bhutan Scout Tshogpa was welcomed as a member at the 35th World Scout Conference in Durban, South Africa.
- 1997
First Basic Scout Unit Leaders training in Bhutan
[1]International scout leader trainers conducted the first Basic Scout Unit Leaders training in Bhutan.
- 1995
Unit Leader Training cooperation begins
[1]Unit Leader Training courses were organized with support from the World Scout Bureau's Asia-Pacific Region and several international and regional scout organizations.
- 1970
Scouting introduced in Bhutan
[1]The scouting movement began operating in Bhutan, creating the basis for the later national association.
Products and positioning
A national, coeducational youth-development and civic-service organization that combines Bhutanese cultural identity with the international Scout method.
Primary-school scouting
Cub section
The Cub section is the association's introductory scouting program for children in primary schools. It provides age-appropriate exposure to teamwork, personal responsibility, basic service, outdoor learning, and the values expressed through the Scout Promise and Law.
Secondary-school scouting
Scout section
The Scout section serves students in secondary schools and forms the core of the association's youth program. Participants can develop practical abilities such as first aid, pioneering, hiking, survival, foot drill, rappelling, rafting, and other outdoor or group activities, alongside character and citizenship education.
Tertiary-institution scouting
Rover section
The Rover section is designed for young people in tertiary institutions. It extends scouting into late adolescence and early adulthood, emphasizing leadership, service, personal development, and continued participation in the scouting community.
Community education and service · 2009
Community Based Scouting
Introduced in Thimphu in 2009, Community Based Scouting provides continuity beyond school-based units. It presents scouting as a form of lifelong education and creates opportunities for voluntary service to communities, institutions, and individuals.
Recent events
- 2021
Bhutan Scouts Association membership reaches 76,876[1]
Other
The association's reported membership reached 76,876 in 2021, up from 18,170 in 2011.
- 2009
Bhutan Scouts Association introduces Community Based Scouting in Thimphu[1]
Other
The association established a community-based program in Thimphu to extend scouting beyond school settings and support continuing community service.
- 2008
Bhutan Scouts participate in coronation preparations[1]
Other
Scouts assisted with preparations for Bhutan's coronation celebrations by helping clean streets in the capital.
Sources2 sources
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