NOVELTY - Producing synthesis gas and vitreous slag from coal, involves subjecting a coal in a gasification zone, to a heating effect of a first plasma torch configuration in presence of oxygen to provide a gaseous product and by-product ash; passing the gaseous product to a reforming zone; adding steam to the gaseous product for converting into a synthesis gas; passing the by-product ash into a melting zone; heating the ash by a second plasma torch configuration, to convert the ash to a slag and maintain the slag in molten condition; exhausting molten slag; and cooling the slag to get vitreous slag.    USE - For producing synthesis gas and vitreous slag from coal; and useful as a coal gasification process to obtain synthesis gas for gas turbines for electricity generation.    ADVANTAGE - The method efficiently gasifies coal, while converting ash-content of coal to the vitreous slag. The use of plasma torches, improves the slag quality, and in conjunction with the input of steam and oxygen, helps in controlling the gas composition. The input power required for the plasma torches is less than potential power reduction of the coal gasification process, due to the homogeneous quality of the coal feedstock. The method simultaneously uses the controllability of plasma heat to drive the gasification process, and to ensure that the gas flow and composition from the coal gasification process remain in an acceptable range, even if the composition of coal exhibits natural variability. The process allows for the total amount of carbon processed per unit time to be held constant; and utilizes the plasma torches to ensure that total heat that enters and leaves the reactor vessel per unit time is kept within process limits. The apparatus for the coal gasification process has simple construction, and can be utilized without requirement for pressure equipment such as compressors.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing synthesis gas and vitreous slag from coal, further involves a corrective feedback procedure that monitors composition, flow-rate and temperature of a synthesis gas. The corrective feedback procedure involves adjusting a coal input rate, an oxygen input rate and/or a steam input rate based on the monitoring process. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for an apparatus for producing synthesis gas and vitreous slag from coal, comprising a refractory-lined reactor vessel having coal inlet(s), oxygen inlet(s) and steam inlet(s), and including a gasification zone, a reformation zone and a melting zone; a first plasma torch configuration located in the reactor vessel; a slag reservoir; a second plasma torch configuration disposed near the slag reservoir; an axial outlet from the slag reservoir to an exterior of the reactor vessel; and a synthesis gas outlet.