An IAS officer back from a stint in Afghanistan and principal of a Rae Bareli college are among the 19 candidates who appeared for the interview for the CBSE top post on Friday. However, the top contenders for the post are acting chairman Vineet Joshi, Tamil Nadu’s Director of Technical Education Dr R Elangovan and CBSE’s Department of Special Exams head Pitam Singh. The school board has been without a head for more than a year owing to lack of suitable candidates.

Among others who appeared for the interview were 1990-batch Nagaland-cadre IAS officer Jyoti Kalash, who recently returned from Afghanistan, Delhi University’s College of Vocational Studies Principal Dr Inderjit Rao, National Institute of Open School secretary D S Bisht, Rae Bareli Government Degree College Principal Dr Kailash Chand Sharma and senior HRD Ministry officer Seema Raj.

While Joshi’s able handling of the CBSE — which is in a reform mode, switching from marks to grades and continued evaluation system — stands him in good stead, Dr Elangovan’s CV is also learnt to have impressed the selection panel. Joshi, a Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS officer, is now the frontrunner, though he has completed five years on deputation at the Centre. It is learnt that since he is from the Northeast cadre, Joshi is likely to be allowed a longer deputation period.

But Pitam Singh’s experience with school examination-related issues has made him a serious contender too. Incidentally, both Elangovan and Singh were shortlisted by the selection panel last year as well.

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