The interview process for the post of the first chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust concluded on Wednesday, with the remaining eight of the 16 shortlisted candidates appearing before the three-member selection committee, sources said.Among those who appeared before the panel on Wednesday was former Bihar director general of police (DGP) Pravesh Saxena while former Uttar Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Rajesh Pandey was interviewed for the second time, PTI reported.The three-member selection committee asked candidates questions in different rounds, with the focus on Wednesday being largely on the functioning and management of the temple system, PTI added.Sources clarified that candidates were asked about their work experience, vision and work plan for the Ram temple and not personal questions such as whether they are teetotallers, vegetarians, sport a janeu or about their attire.The interviews are being conducted behind closed doors in the temple complex.The selection committee is headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Pramod Kohli and includes Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi (retd) and Suresh Haware.The committee is expected to shortlist three names, from which the Trust will make the final appointment. The committee has said the selection exercise was designed to be “rigorous, transparent and comprehensive” and reflected its commitment to merit-based selection, institutional excellence and transparency.Story continues below this adThe decision to appoint a full-time CEO came after allegations of embezzlement of donations at the Ram temple led to increased scrutiny of the Trust’s financial management. Eight accused have been arrested in the case, while three officials, including former Trust general secretary Champat Rai, have stepped down from their posts.The process A multi-stage screening process was followed for the selection of the first chief executive officer (CEO) of the temple Trust, with 16 candidates of a total of 5,585 applications making it to the interview round, the three-member selection committee said in an official statement issued on Wednesday.Step 1: The committee said the Trust received 5,585 applications from across the country for the CEO’s post. Of these, 3,877 applications had detailed CVs.The applicants were asked to provide information on their management skills, experience in handling large-scale events and personnel, language proficiency, vision and strategic plans.Story continues below this adStep 2: The committee comprehensively evaluated the submissions of 1,580 candidates. This stage was aimed at assessing the candidates’ professional experience and suitability for the leadership role.Step 3: Following the evaluation, 111 candidates were invited for virtual interactions conducted over several days. These candidates were assessed for their “communication skills, professional experience, vision, personality, leadership qualities and technological acumen”, the committee said.Step 4: After the assessment virtually, 16 candidates were selected for an in-person interview. The finalists came from diverse sectors, including defence, bureaucracy, corporate-industry, education and information technology.Step 5: The final round of interviews was conducted at the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra campus on August 11 and 12. In this stage, the committee assessed the candidates for management skills, personality, vision, strategic plans, technology expertise and leadership potential.Story continues below this adThe committee said the 16 finalists are accomplished professionals and achievers in their fields.Step 6: With the interview process now complete, the committee will evaluate the 16 finalists and prepare a panel of three names.This panel will be shared with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, which will take the final decision on the CEO’s appointment before making the announcement.