The first nationwide high-stake examinations began with the conduct of ‘All Bhutan Class V Common Examination’. All Bhutan Common Examination’ were set and the answer scripts marked externally.

All the high schools in the country were affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), New Delhi, which conducted the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE - Class X) Examination and the Indian School Certificate Examination (ISC - Class XII) for schools in Bhutan

All Bhutan Class VIII Common Examination. Examination Cell (EC) was established within the Directorate of Education headed by a Controller of Examinations.

BBE also conducted and certified the Primary Teachers Certificate Examination (PTCE) for the teacher training colleges in Samtse and Paro from 1979 to 2003

Question papers were set externally but the evaluation was done within Bhutan with the assistance of expatriate chief examiners

Setting of question papers and evaluation of answer scripts were done within the country

EC was renamed as Bhutan Board of Examinations (BBE), with a Secretary as its head. Primary School Certificate Examination (PSCE) for Class VI replaced the Class V All Bhutan Common Examination.

The Institute of Language and Culture Studies (ILCS), Semtokha, Class X examination was conducted by the BBE from 1989 to 2001

The BBE Board was constituted in 1993 with members represented by the heads of departments and divisions within the Ministry of Education such as the CAPSD, EMSSD, PPD, HRD, selected DEOs and some representation from schools.

The first BBE Board meeting was held on April 10, 1994. Zhungkha Teachers Certificate Examination (ZTCE) for Paro College of Education from 1994 to November 2003.