About 15 candidates have reportedly applied for the top job of Coal India Ltd. Preliminary information suggests that the applicants include six in-house candidates, including Mr R. Mohan Das, Director (Personnel and Industrial Relation), of CIL.
The last date for application was January 23. The short-listed candidates may appear for interview on February 14.
The coal major is deprived of a full-time Chairman since the superannuation of Mr Partha S. Bhatacharyya in February 2011. The Director (Technical), Mr N.C. Jha, who was handling addition responsibility of Chairman and Managing Director since March 2011, is to retire on January 31, 2012.
Available information suggests that Ms Zohra Chatterji, Additional Secretary in the Coal Ministry may take charge as the next part-time Chairman of CIL from February.
Previous panel cancelled
It may be recalled that the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) launched a search for CIL Chairman as early as in mid-2010 and selected Mr Tapas Kumar Lahiry, CMD of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL), as the most preferred candidate to be followed by Mr D.C. Garg, CMD of Western Coalfields Ltd. BCCL and WCL are fully owned subsidiaries of CIL.
Though the selection process was completed by November 2010, the panel was subsequently cancelled due to vigilance-related issues and the resulting delay in appointment.
Both Mr Lahiry and Mr Garg are reportedly in race again for the CIL top job. However, official clarifications were not available in this context.
Amended norms
Meanwhile, having launched its latest search for the Chairman, the PSEB has further amended the eligibility criteria ensuring wider participation by group executives – including that of Mr A.N. Sahay, CMD of Mahanadi Coalfields, and Mr R.K. Sinha, CMD of Eastern Coalfields, both considered strong contenders.
According to the amended norm, candidates need not complete one year in their existing grades, as was originally proposed.