AIIMS Director Dr M C Mishra, who is scheduled to retire in a month, may be asked to continue in his job because of a technical hitch in the selection of his successor. Recently, the PMO issued a directive seeking the reconstitution of the search committee for Dr. Mishra's successor. Naturally, the reconstituted committee may take its own time to search out suitable candidates. This may necessarily delay the whole thing. According to a Cabinet Secretariat circular, if the proposal for filling a vacancy is sent less than two months before the post falls vacant, the delay has to be explained by the secretary of the department concerned.