New Delhi: Retired IAS officer B P Sharma was today appointed the chairman of Recruitment and Assessment Centre (RAC) in the DRDO by Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by the prime minister, a government order said.

Sharma, a 1981-batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, held the position of Union health secretary before he was moved to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) as its secretary.

He retired from the position on June 30, 2017.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of B P Sharma, IAS, to the post of chairman, Recruitment and Assessment Centre in DRDO, on contract basis, as per usual terms and conditions applicable to re-employed Central government officers in the rank and status of secretary to Government of India, for a period of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the order said.

The RAC undertakes recruitment programmes to induct and promote scientists in variety of scientific and engineering disciplines relevant to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Laboratories.