A day after the Madras High Court granting three-month extension to Dr Surinder Singh as the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), the Health Ministry has stepped up the moves to find a replacement to Dr Singh within the period stipulated by the Court.

The advertisement by the Ministry hit the main newspapers today, inviting application for the post of Drug controller (India). The Ministry had already issued advertisement on June 14, with the same purpose.

The post will be filled by deputation (including short-term contract) from officers under the Central, State Governments, recognised research institutions, public sector undertakings, semi-government, autonomous and statutory organisations, according to the advertisement.

Sources in the ministry said, the government had decided to go for new DCGI many months back and the extension was an interim option till the new person was inducted. The files in this regard had been moved in time, even before the case came up in the courts, sources claimed.

While vacating the interim stay and allowing Dr Singh to continue for three months, the High Court had asked the Union Government to expedite the process of recruiting a new person for the post of DCGI within three months, as it specifically ordered that Dr Singh cannot continue beyond the said period.

The Additional Solicitor General of India Mohan Parasaran, appearing for the Government, had also given assurance in this regard to the Court. The Government on June 8, 2011 extended the appointment of Dr Singh till March 31, 2012, as his tenure was to expire on June 21. However, the public interest litigation was filed against this order and the Court passed an interim stay, before pronouncing the final order other day.

As per the advertisement, the applicant should be a “graduate degree in Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical chemistry or in Medicine with specialization in clinical Pharmacology or Microbiology from a recognized University established in India be law; postgraduate degree in Pharmacy/ Pharmaceutical chemistry/ Biochemistry/Chemistry/Microbiology/ Pharmacology from a recognized University or equivalent; and 15 years experience in manufacture or testing of drugs in a concern of repute or enforcement of the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules.”