All India Cadre of Safe Food Business Professionals

Selection Process

The Cadre of Safe Food Business Professionals is an annual programme. Professionals shall be selected through a 3-stage process: (i) Identification; (ii) Mentoring; and (ii) Selection followed by a mandatory customized post-selection Business Leadership Enhancement Programme (BLEP) at NIFTEM for a period of 4 weeks.

Annually, about 100 candidates/professionals shall qualify and accede to the cadre and shall be awarded a Certificate of Accession to the cadre at a special function.


A. The three – Stage Selection Process

1. Identification Process: There will be two tests as under

Online Objective type Test

i. This test will be conducted in two modules in the following broad areas:

->Technical Module (about 75% questions): food technology, food chemistry, food microbiology, food analysis, nutrition & dietetics, public health, biochemistry, food biotechnology, food hygiene & food safety, food engineering, quality management systems, private standards, risk analysis, organic products, WTO/ SPS/ TBT, Codex/ IPPC/ OIE/ ISO, other national and international organizations (governmental/non-governmental), broad understanding of food laws of South Asian Region/ ASEAN countries/ EU/ USA/ Canada/ Japan/ Australia/ New Zealand, etc.; and

->Non – Technical Module (about 25% questions): general aptitude, arithmetical reasoning, general global awareness, current affairs, analytical skills, writing skills, communication skills, English vocabulary and grammar, general understanding of office computer work, and business ethics and business management. Detailed syllabus can be seen at link.

ii. Top 500 candidates will be short-listed for the subjective-type written test and a list of such candidates will be displayed on the websites of NFSI and NIFTEM. An email will also be sent to the short-listed candidates.

Online Subjective type Test

  1. All the short-listed candidates shall be given an online subjective type written test of three hours in order to assess their writing and presentation skills
  2. The areas covered by this test will be the same as for the objective type test
  3. Top 250 (50% of 500) candidates will be short-listed for the next stage and a list of such candidates will be displayed on the websites of NFSI and NIFTEM. An email will also be sent to the candidates short-listed for next stage.

2. Mentoring Process

  1. The short-listed candidates shall be given training in select areas for a period of 3-5 working days by virtual mode or at few locations in India depending upon the concentration of these candidates. The objective is to bring all the short-listed candidates at par with each other for competing during the Selection stage.
  2. Participation in this training is mandatory to be eligible for the next stage of the selection process.

3. Final Selection Process: The selection process shall be completed in two steps, namely, Group Discussion; and Interview as given below:

  1. All the 250 short-listed candidates will be invited for a Group Discussion and Interview before a panel of independent observers. Six to eight candidates will be seated on a table for Group Discussion and invited to discuss an issue related to food science/ food business/ trade / current affairs; All these candidates will also be invited to present themselves individually before an Interview Board.
  2. The idea is to evaluate the thinking process, articulation of thoughts, group participation, interaction capabilities, ability to suggest solutions during a group meeting; as well as to evaluate how the candidates participate in a meeting, how are their collaborative skills, confidence levels and how they carry themselves during the entire duration of their presence at the premises. Eventually, the objective is to evaluate their leadership skills in food businesses.
  3. About 100 candidates will be finally selected for the final stage of leadership orientation. The selection will be based on their consolidated score of the group discussion (60% weightage) and interview (40% weightage). A list of such selected professionals, in the descending order of their scores, will be displayed, along with their consolidated scores, on the websites of NIFTEM and NFSI. An email will also be sent to successful candidates.

B. Post-Selection Business Leadership Enhancement Programme

  1. A Business Leadership Enhancement Programme (BLEP) of a duration of 4 weeks will be organized at NIFTEM for the selected candidates for enhancement of their competence in safe food business and leadership. It will focus on the best practices for food safety and regulatory aspects of food in the South-Asian/ ASEAN/ the EU/ Americas/ Oceania regions. It will also focus on global trade including WTO, Codex, IPPC and OIE, presentation skills and negotiating skills, motivation, etc.;
  2. Participation in the BLEP will be mandatory for all the selected candidates and will be implemented as a paid programme, funded either by the candidates themselves or sponsored by organizations. Financial assistance/ scholarships by NIFTEM/ NFSI/ other organizations based on agreed criteria could be considered.

ACCESSION TO THE CADRE OF 2022

  1. After completion of BLEP, a Certificate of Accession to the Cadre of 2022 will be presented to members of the Cadre at a special function where several senior Govt. officials, representatives of the food industry, international organizations and others will be invited.
  2. A mention will be made of the top three members in their certificate.