Irani proposed, PM Modi disposed; CBSE chief still on hold

Rejecting former Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani's proposed name for the chief of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken charge of the entire selection process.

Taking the whole process out of the MHRD's domain, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) rejected Dr Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh's name as the next CBSE chairman. The PM is the deciding authority of ACC.

"While considering the proposal, the competent authority in the ACC has conveyed that the post be filled under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS) by keeping the recruitment rules in abeyance," read a letter received by the MHRD on Tuesday from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), reported The Indian Express.

This is the second time that Irani's choice of CBSE chairman has been rejected. Earlier, in August 2015, the ACC had rejected the name of Satbir Bedi from the search-cum-selection committee's panel as she did not fulfill the basic qualification of being an education administrator for over three years.

Currently, YSK Seshu Kumar, Joint Secretary in the HRD ministry, has the additional charge of CBSE chairman. The CBSE has been without a full-time chairman since December 2014.