For job of CBSE chief,trickle turns to flood: IIT profs,top directors line up

With the CBSE examinations just over a month away,the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has fast tracked the process for selection of a new chairman of the school board....

With the CBSE examinations just over a month away,the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has fast tracked the process for selection of a new chairman of the school board. The selection criteria,liberalised recently and first reported by The Indian Express,have helped the cause,drawing impressive candidates this time with IIT professors,directors of reputed educational institutes and academicians throwing their hats into the ring. A selection committee with IGNOU Vice-Chancellor V Rajashekharan Pillai on board is now in the process of short listing candidates for the CBSE top job.

The impressive line-up of candidates has only come after the Ministry changed selection criteria and liberalised it to draw more inspiring,younger and versatile candidates to head the school education body. Now we have IIT professors,directors of institutes,academicians and able educational administrators applying for the job. So we actually have a far better candidate profile this time very welcome after the disappointing set of candidates we were left with last year when applications were called, said a senior official.

CBSE chairman Ashok Ganguly retired in August last year and secretary Vineet Joshi has been officiating as acting chairman. Initial attempts by the HRD Ministry to fill the position were a dismal failure. The first search-cum-selection committee,headed by National University for Education Planning & Administration (NUEPA) Chancellor Sudip Banerjee,short-listed three candidates but found none inspiring enough to head the school board. Some committee members said the names that came up were not only uninspiring but,in some cases,also quite appalling.

The first selection committee felt that that the rules were such that a whole catchment of good candidates were denied a shot at the top job only because they did not fulfill criteria like 15 years of administrative experience. The committee was of the view that rules should be such that even people in non-administration sectors for less than 15 years but with stellar performance in their areas of work should be considered for the job.

The HRD Ministry then came up with liberalised selection criteria to reflect current realities and changes in the academic world and invited applications from interested candidates last month. But in another setback,Banerjee declined to head the selection committee,citing ill health. The Ministry has now appointed a new selection committee with the IGNOU V-C replacing Banerjee.

The new set of eligibility criteria will allow candidates with just three years of experience in educational administration at a senior level (of grade of Director to the Government of India) to apply for the CBSE top post. The post has been opened to Central,state government,semi-government and autonomous organisation officers in the pay scale of Rs 14,300-18,300 and up to 56 years of age on transfer on deputation basis. Even Director-level officials will be able to apply for the post.

The rules have been revised to attract the best candidates for the important post from across sectors. The new rules have allowed younger candidates with varied experience to apply for the post,allowing more latitude in the selection process and making place for candidates in the 45-50 age group as well. So far,it was always 52 years plus candidates applying for the job, said a senior official.