New search panel to select CEA soon

The Centre is expected to appoint a committee within two weeks to select the next chief economic adviser (CEA). Current CEA K V Subramanian’s term is ending on December 6. He’s decided to return to academics.

The panel will have secretaries from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) and Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT). Bimal Jalan, former governor of Reserve Bank of India, headed the panel in 2018.

While mandating the selection panel, the government would invite applications for the CEA’S post. The panel reserves the right to invite and short-list suitable individuals from outside the list of applicants for the post.

Typically, the selection process takes almost two to three months. Sources in the government said the current principal economic advisor (Pea)--sanjeev Sanyal-could be given the task to write the Economic Survey of FY22. The Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister (EAC-PM) is also expected to have an important role in putting together the Economic Survey ahead of the Budget.

The selection committee interacts with key people in the finance ministry and other stakeholders before sending the shortlisted names to the finance minister. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give the final stamp of approval for appointing the next CEA. Sources pointed out the government had internally started the ground work to find Subramanian’s successor.

Subramanian was appointed chief economic advisor to the government on December 7, 2018, nearly five months after his predecessor Arvind Subramanian had stepped down. He quit with close to a year of his tenure remaining. He had cited ‘’very compelling reasons’’ to return to the US at that time.