Q.A director appointed by the Board to act in place of an original director who is absent from India for not less than three months is called:

Each Board-appointed director category under Section 161 is created for a distinct situation, and the "absent from India" trigger is the defining feature of one specific type.

Section 161(2) of the Companies Act, 2013 allows the Board, if authorised by the Articles or a members' resolution, to appoint an Alternate Director to act in place of a director who is absent from India for a period of not less than three months. The alternate director vacates office as soon as the original director returns to India.

Option-by-option analysis:

• (a) Additional Director [Section 161(1)] is appointed to a fresh Board seat between two AGMs, not as a substitute for an absent director — incorrect.
• (b) Alternate Director [Section 161(2)] is exactly this substitute role — correct. …