Centre steps in to fix BSNL’s HR challenges, forms panel for reforms

The Centre has constituted a high-level committee to address long-standing human resources issues at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, signalling a renewed push to strengthen governance and align the organisation with performance expectations.

According to ETTelecom, the move follows mounting concerns over career progression, pay revision, and structural inefficiencies, raised by employee unions and internal stakeholders.

Committee tasked with structural HR overhaul

The Ministry of Communications, in an official memorandum dated April 9, said the panel will examine HR-related issues and recommend corrective measures to ensure the company’s workforce framework supports its operational and strategic goals.

The committee will be chaired by the additional secretary (telecom) from the Department of Telecommunications, and include senior officials such as the deputy director general (personnel), deputy director general (C&A), and a government-nominated director from BSNL.

BSNL will be represented by its chairman and managing director, director (HR), and senior field executives. The panel also includes Joydeep Dutta Roy, executive director at Indian Overseas Bank, who is expected to bring private sector expertise to the reform process.

Focus on performance, incentives and succession planning

The panel’s mandate extends beyond immediate grievances to a broader restructuring of HR systems.

According to the memorandum cited by ETTelecom, the committee will work on developing a performance management framework linked to incentives, alongside recommending policies for talent sourcing, career development, and succession planning.

It will also examine the deployment of Indian Telecommunications Service (ITS) officers within BSNL, a longstanding area of administrative complexity.

Strategy unit to anchor execution

Alongside HR reforms, the government plans to establish a “Strategy and Transformation Vertical” within BSNL.

This unit is expected to track and validate business strategy, ensure execution across functions, and enable technology-driven HR management systems. It will also recommend institutional mechanisms and ICT tools to enforce compliance with HR policies and improve organisational efficiency.

The Department of Telecommunications, headed by Telecom Secretary Amit Agrawal, has asked the committee to submit its recommendations within three weeks, indicating an accelerated timeline for reforms.

Employee unions raise concerns over representation

The formation of the panel follows multiple representations from employee unions to the government, highlighting issues such as slow promotions, limited career progression, and delays in implementing the third pay revision committee (PRC) recommendations.

However, worker groups have expressed reservations about the committee’s composition.

In a letter dated April 11 to Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, representatives from the Bharatiya Doorsanchar Manch argued that the absence of a full-time board member with operational oversight could limit the effectiveness of the exercise.

They said the current structure risks being “disconnected from the actual ground-level position in BSNL” and called for greater representation from officers directly involved in field operations.

Governance questions remain in focus

The developments come at a time of continued leadership transitions at BSNL.

According to ETTelecom, the tenure of the company’s chairman and managing director, A Robert J Ravi, has been extended five times since July 2024, with the current term set to conclude on April 14, 2026.

The repeated extensions highlight the ongoing governance challenges at the state-run telecom operator, even as it navigates competitive and operational pressures.

Balancing reform with execution

The Centre’s intervention reflects a broader attempt to stabilise BSNL’s internal systems while preparing it for future competitiveness, particularly in an industry marked by rapid technological change.

The success of the initiative will depend on how effectively the committee translates recommendations into actionable reforms, especially in areas such as performance management and workforce planning.

With a defined timeline and multiple stakeholders involved, the process is likely to test the government’s ability to align policy intent with on-ground execution in one of India’s largest public sector telecom companies.

Strategic HR