PESB Recommends SCSC Route To Pick New BSNL CMD

The PESB held interviews of 10 shortlisted candidates on March 27, and found none suitable among them to be recommended for the post. 

In its communication to the government, the PESB said, “The selection board found none of the 10 candidates suitable for the post and advised the administrative ministry/department (Department of Telecommunications) to choose an appropriate course of further action for selection including the Search-Cum-Selection-Committee (SCSC) or as deemed appropriate with the approval of the competent authority.”

The candidates, who were shortlisted for interview, included senior officials from BSNL and DoT.

Current BSNL CMD Robert Jerard Ravi is now likely to continue holding the position. Ravi, who is the deputy Director-General in DoT, was given the additional charge to lead BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) in July 2024, after the government decided not to extend the tenure of his predecessor P K Purwar. In January 2025, Ravi got an extension for another three more months, until April 14.

Since 2019, the government has announced three revival packages worth Rs 3.2 lakh crore for BSNL and MTNL. Recently, the Cabinet approved an additional Rs 6,000 crore for BSNL’s 4G rollout. 

Thus, the appointment of a new CMD is very crucial for BSNL as he/she will be responsible for navigating the company’s ongoing financial restructuring, 5G rollout, and other operational challenges.