New Delhi: The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has failed to recommend a candidate for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NTPC Limited, India’s largest power utility. In a notification issued on Wednesday, the PESB announced that it would not recommend any of the shortlisted candidates and has instead urged the Ministry of Power to take over the selection process.
The PESB’s statement read, “The Board did not recommend any candidate for the post and advised the Administrative Ministry/Department to choose an appropriate course of further action for selection, including the formation of a search-cum-selection committee (SCSC), or any other course of action as deemed appropriate, with the approval of the competent authority.”
This development comes amid growing concerns regarding the PESB’s inability to fill key leadership positions in several top public sector undertakings (PSUs). The PESB has faced similar challenges in recommending candidates for Chairman and Managing Director roles at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) in recent months.
Ministry to Use Search-Cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) Method
The Ministry of Power is now expected to follow the SCSC route to select the next CMD of NTPC, a process that offers greater flexibility in candidate selection. Singh, the current CMD, was appointed through the SCSC process in 2016.
The SCSC, as defined by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), is a more flexible method of selecting candidates and can take into account a wider pool of applicants. It allows the ministry to bring in experts and consultants to advise on the selection process, which can help in identifying the best candidate for the role.
Under the SCSC method, the Ministry of Power will have up to a year to complete the process of selecting the new CMD. The vacancy will be advertised again, with candidates given four weeks to respond. After the submission period, the panel will have three months to complete the selection process.
Shortlisted Candidates and Interviews
Several prominent names from NTPC and other PSUs were shortlisted and interviewed for the post of CMD on Wednesday. Among them were:
- Shivam Srivastava, Director (Fuel), NTPC
- Bhupender Gupta, Director (Technical), THDC India Limited
- Ravindra Kumar, Director (Operations), NTPC
- Shaswattam, Executive Director, NTPC
- Somes Bandyopadhyay, Managing Director, GSECL
- Kapil Kumar Gupta, Director (Finance), MMTC
- Mukesh Choudhary, Director (Marketing), Coal India Limited
- Ajit Kumar Panda, Director (Project & Services), CONCOR
- TSC Bosh, CEO, RECPDCL
- Rajil Srivastava, Executive Director, Power Grid
- Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Coal Secretary (IAS)
- Abhay Arun Harne, Director, MSEB MAHAGENCO MSPGCL
Despite the strong pool of candidates, the PESB did not find a suitable candidate, leaving the next steps to be determined by the Ministry of Power.
What’s Next for NTPC
NTPC, one of India’s most crucial public sector enterprises, continues to grow as a leader in the country’s power sector. With major challenges ahead, including expansion into renewable energy and maintaining power supply across the nation, the appointment of the right leadership is critical.
The search-cum-selection committee will now be tasked with finding a suitable candidate to lead NTPC into its next phase of growth and innovation, as it faces evolving energy demands and an expanding renewable energy sector.
