BSNL eyes private sector to rebuild management
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KOLKATA: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) may be forced to tap the private sector to rebuild itssenior management team with its recruitment rules failing to woo back executives who had left for the department of telecom (DoT) last year.
In November, a majority of the Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officers deputed to BSNL had opted for a transfer to the telecom department, where the pension is higher, robbing BSNL of its middle and top management. BSNL's effort to woo them back has failed to elicit any response.
A top executive with direct knowledge of the matter told ET that the state-run telco's new recruitment rules are not acceptable to the ITS officers as moving back to BSNL would mean loss of seniority and lower compensation.
"Where is the logic in first giving ITS officers the option to return to DoT, and now urging them to return to BSNL with less pay and zero protection on the seniority front," said two ITS officers who have returned to DoT. The new recruitment rules do not address these issues, they added.
Another turn-off stems from the decision to disqualify ITS officers in the 58-plus age group from applying for re-employment. This has sparked off rumours that the retirement age at BSNL may soon be revised to 58, from 60 at present.
BSNL had more than 1,300 ITS officers when it was carved out as a separate entity from DoT.
The stakes are high for the majority of the ITS officers who are of the rank of general manager in 45-55 age group.
If they opt to return to BSNL, they will have to first retire from government service and their pension will be linked to their current basic salary. But if they remain in central government service, their pension will be higher as it will be linked to their final basic salary.
"The ITS officers have sought several clarifications on issues like compensation, seniority and pension impact in the new recruitment rules. We expect more people will opt for re-employment once BSNL clears the air on these issues," said a BSNL director directly involved with the hiring exercise.
In a related development, the interior ministry has dismissed the telecom department's plea to move redundant ITS officers in the 58-plus age group to the surplus cell under the department of personnel. It is learnt to have questioned the rationale of declaring a sizeable number of senior BSNL officers as surplus when nearly 1,000 senior managerial slots remain vacant in the telco. A majority of these officers are in the rank of BSNL circle heads.
In November, a majority of the Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officers deputed to BSNL had opted for a transfer to the telecom department, where the pension is higher, robbing BSNL of its middle and top management. BSNL's effort to woo them back has failed to elicit any response.
A top executive with direct knowledge of the matter told ET that the state-run telco's new recruitment rules are not acceptable to the ITS officers as moving back to BSNL would mean loss of seniority and lower compensation.
"Where is the logic in first giving ITS officers the option to return to DoT, and now urging them to return to BSNL with less pay and zero protection on the seniority front," said two ITS officers who have returned to DoT. The new recruitment rules do not address these issues, they added.
Another turn-off stems from the decision to disqualify ITS officers in the 58-plus age group from applying for re-employment. This has sparked off rumours that the retirement age at BSNL may soon be revised to 58, from 60 at present.
BSNL had more than 1,300 ITS officers when it was carved out as a separate entity from DoT.
The stakes are high for the majority of the ITS officers who are of the rank of general manager in 45-55 age group.
If they opt to return to BSNL, they will have to first retire from government service and their pension will be linked to their current basic salary. But if they remain in central government service, their pension will be higher as it will be linked to their final basic salary.
"The ITS officers have sought several clarifications on issues like compensation, seniority and pension impact in the new recruitment rules. We expect more people will opt for re-employment once BSNL clears the air on these issues," said a BSNL director directly involved with the hiring exercise.
In a related development, the interior ministry has dismissed the telecom department's plea to move redundant ITS officers in the 58-plus age group to the surplus cell under the department of personnel. It is learnt to have questioned the rationale of declaring a sizeable number of senior BSNL officers as surplus when nearly 1,000 senior managerial slots remain vacant in the telco. A majority of these officers are in the rank of BSNL circle heads.
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