The HRD Ministry yesterday took the decision finalising his name for the top post for a period of three years.
"The ministry finalised his name from a shortlist prepared by a selection panel. Others in the shortlist were I K Bajaj and PM Kamath," a senior HRD Ministry official said. Thorat was heading the council since April 2011.
76-year-old Kumar has been serving as the editor of the two quarterly journals, published by a society called Astha Bharati, of which he is a founding member.
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