Thanks largely to the callous attitude of the Union health ministry, the office of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) in the country is headless for the last about two weeks after the three-month term of interim DCGI, Dr V G Somani ended on February 1 this year.

Though there were reports in the corridors of the health ministry that Dr Somani, who is said to have done justice to his interim appointment as DCGI for a short tenure of three months, might get another three months extension as the process for the new DCGI is only half-way through in the UPSC, the ministry showed its callous attitude towards important issues as it failed to name anybody as DCGI so far.

Meanwhile, senior officials in the ministry said that there will be some news on the issue in a day or two as the ministry is seized of the seriousness of the issue. The officials, however, did not rule out the possibility of giving Dr Somani another three months extension as there are apprehensions that the  UPSC may take some more time to finalise the candidature of DCGI.

“Nothing can be ruled out now as the issue is very sensitive,” a senior health ministry official said when asked about the possibility of another extension to Dr Somani. The ministry is seriously discussing the issue as the post of DCGI cannot be kept vacant for long, he said.

Earlier, the ministry had received a total of 18 applications for the post of DCGI for which the ministry had given advertisements in the media. The last date for receiving application was October 17 last year. Out of the 18 applications, the ministry shortlisted only four candidates for interview as the remaining 14 applications were not found to be complete in all respects.

According to sources, the UPSC has already interviewed four of the 18 candidates—Dr GN Singh from IPC, Anil Kumar Saxena from Narcotics Control Bureau, Tehlan from CRI Kasauli and GS Bedi from IDPL.

Interestingly, though three state drug controllers-- Dr Shyam Narayan Dubey from Uttar Pradesh, Meduri Kodanda Ram from Andhra Pradesh and Dr Jagashetty from Karnataka—had also applied for the post of DCGI as per the new Recruitment Rule (RR) of the ministry, the UPSC did not call them for interview so far.

Earlier on November 1, 2011, Dr V G Somani, then Deputy Drugs Controller of the East Zone, was given the additional charge as the DCGI after the extension given to Dr Surinder Singh ended on October 31. He was given the charge for three months or 'until further orders'.