Uttar Pradesh: Around 20 candidates have been shortlisted for the final interview round for the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust after it received around 5,200 applications.
The interviews will be held in Ayodhya on August 11 and 12, according to informed sources. Following the interviews, the three-member selection committee will recommend three names to the Trust, which is scheduled to announce the new CEO on September 2. The selected CEO will be responsible for overseeing the overall management of the Shri Ram temple affairs.
5,200 Applicants, Around 20 Make The Cut
The large number of applications and the multiple rounds of screening underline the importance being attached to the position. The Trust received around 5,200 applications for the CEO post last month from candidates with diverse professional backgrounds.
After scrutinising the applications, the selection committee recently conducted preliminary interviews with around 55 candidates. Nearly 20 have now been called for the next round. Sources associated with the selection process said the number was close to 20, though the exact figure was not disclosed, TNIE reports.
Search Follows Donation Fund Row
The decision to appoint a CEO came in the wake of the alleged embezzlement of the Shri Ram temple donation fund reported in June this year. At its July 6 board meeting, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Nyas, or temple trust, decided to appoint a chief executive officer to manage the temple affairs, TNIE reports.
The recruitment process that followed appears aimed at bringing dedicated professional oversight to the management of the temple affairs. The Trust subsequently invited applications for the position, drawing candidates from a wide range of professional backgrounds.
Candidates From Armed Forces To Corporate World
Those shortlisted for the final round come from sectors including the armed forces, education and the corporate world. Applicants aged between 50 and 70 were eligible for the position.
The recruitment process was also open to women, with no gender-specific criteria prescribed.
Three-Member Panel To Conduct Interviews
The interviews will be conducted in person in Ayodhya on Tuesday and Wednesday. The three members of the selection committee will be present on the interview panel.
The committee comprises retired Supreme Court judge Justice Pramod Kohli, Lieutenant General (retd) Vishnu Kant Chaturvedi and retired nuclear scientist Suresh Haware. Haware has also served as chairperson of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi.
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Some members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust are also expected to be present at the temple complex during the interviews.
Once the interviews are completed, the selection committee will shortlist three candidates and submit their names to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for consideration. The Trust is scheduled to announce its choice for the CEO post on September 2.
