New Delhi: The Cabinet Secretary will be the head of all search-cum-selection committees for choosing suitable candidates at the level of retired secretaries for appointment to any post or assignment.
“With the approval of the competent authority it has been decided that henceforth Cabinet Secretary shall be the chairperson of search committee and search-cum-selection committee meetings wherever retired secretaries to Government of India are eligible for appointment to a post or an assignment,” an order issued by DoPT said after it reviewed the existing guidelines.
As per the earlier norms, a search committee should be constituted only for sufficiently senior posts at the level of Director or above, which require specialised scientific, technical knowledge and experience.
A senior and distinguished academician may be invited to chair the committee constituted for a secretary-level post.
As regards the constitution of search-cum-selection panels for posts in autonomous and statutory bodies etc., the guidelines stipulate that each ministry shall constitute a search-cum-selection committee with the concurrence of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for all appointments to the post of Chief Executives.
Ministries or departments will have the discretion to choose the chairman of the Committee. They may, however, ensure that the person so chosen is distinguished and of sufficiently high standing commensurate with the level of the post for which selection is to be recommended by the committee, the rules said.