34-point questionnaire: Inside Ram temple’s search for CEO

The application process for Ayodhya Ram Mandir’s first full-time CEO was much more thorough than usual. The 18 shortlisted candidates for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had to fill out a detailed 34-point online questionnaire about their personal background, work experience, and religious beliefs.

The form sought full name and date of birth. The form asked for basic details like full name, date of birth, age, address, contact information, and email. Candidates also had to share their language skills in Hindi and English, highest education level, current or past job status, and details about their employer. It included questions about years of management or administrative experience, the sector they worked in, and the size of teams they managed. Organised or supervised events, including estimated attendance, duration, year, event name and the candidate’s role, vital for handling large religious gatherings.

Applicants disclosed any prior association with religious institutions, monasteries, social organisations or temples, along with duration and scale. A key query asked whether the candidate considered themselves a “staunch Hindu,” “true Hindu” or “hardline Hindu,” versus simply a believer, plus details of links to Hindu religious institutions. The form also required a vision statement for the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, a proposed work plan and suggestions for temple management, plus names, positions and contacts of at least two reputable references for verification of professional, social or religious experience.

The form also collected family and personal information. During the closed-door interviews, which lasted 40 to 50 minutes or more, the three-member panel asked more questions about personal and religious practices. Some of the reported questions were: “Are you a staunch Hindu?” “Do you eat non-vegetarian food?” “Are you a pure vegetarian?” “Do you keep a shikha (tuft of hair)?” “Do you wear a janeu (sacred thread)?” “Do you consume alcohol or are you a teetotaller?”

Candidates were also questioned about their comfort with traditional Hindu attire, their faith in Lord Ram, and their understanding of the temple’s religious and social importance. The panel asked about their experience managing large crowds, family background, personal preferences, people skills, and their overall vision for running the temple’s administration, finances, security, and daily operations.

These questions show that the Trust wants the CEO to be a practising Hindu between 50 and 70 years old, follow Hindu traditions, be a strict vegetarian and teetotaller, have at least 20 years of relevant experience, speak Hindi and English fluently, and live in Ayodhya. The job comes with a three-year initial term and involves managing the temple’s daily administration, finances, legal matters, security, and operations.

The search for a full-time CEO began after allegations of embezzlement of temple donations came up in June 2026, leading to closer checks on financial management. Over 5,200 applications were received from all over India. After about 20 days of screening, which included the Google Form and some online meetings, the panel shortlisted 18 candidates. Most of them are retired bureaucrats, former senior corporate executives, retired defence officers, or people with experience managing temples or religious trusts.

Interviews started on 11 August 2026 at the temple complex and continued for several days. The selection panel includes retired Supreme Court Justice Pramod Kohli, retired Lt Gen Vishnukant Chaturvedi, and Suresh Haware, former chairperson of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi. The panel will recommend three candidates to the Trust, which is expected to decide at its meeting around 2 September 2026. The full list of the 18 shortlisted candidates has not been officially released, keeping the process confidential.

Only a few names have been shared by sources so far: former IPS officer Rajesh Kumar Pandey (sometimes called an encounter specialist and linked to Lucknow’s Hanuman Mandir), Dinesh Chandra (former Jaunpur District Magistrate), Yogeshwar Ram Mishra (retired IAS officer and former Faizabad district magistrate), and Sameer Pandaya. On the first day of interviews, three former IAS officers, one former IPS officer, and four former military officers reportedly took part.

The detailed questionnaire and personal questions show that the Trust is looking for someone who is both professionally skilled and closely aligned with the spiritual values of the Ram Mandir. The person chosen will need to manage complex logistics, finances, and meet the expectations of millions of devotees.