WCL Director (Personnel) selection rigged, sources allege

Selection for the post of Director (Personnel), Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), is a foregone conclusion, sources close to the company alleged on the condition of anonymity to avoid professional retaliation. 

Officially, the selection meeting is scheduled to be conducted on October 27 through video conference by the Public Enterprises Selection Board, the country’s high-powered advisory body responsible for the selection and placement of top-level management personnel in central public sector enterprises.

The sources requesting not to be quoted further alleged that a section of officials are working the back channels, pushing for the candidature of Rajesh Nair for the post, who is currently serving as General Manager (HR/HOD-Policy Cell), CIL.

The Pioneer independently could not verify the veracity of these allegations.

The sources also expressed consternation at the repeated appearance of Rathin Mitra, General Manager (Coordination), CIL, as a candidate for the post of Director (Personnel) in different subsidiaries of CIL, contending that he is of the coal preparation cadre and lacks professional experience of working in the field in the personnel cadre.

PESB has shortlisted a total of twelve candidates for the selection meeting, of which nine belong to CIL and its subsidiaries, all of whom are from the personnel cadre except Rathin Mitra. The other three candidates are from NLC India Limited, Hindustan Copper Limited and Power Finance Corporation Limited.

PESB is a high-powered professional board responsible for interviewing and shortlisting top-level management personnel of CPSEs, but it does not have appointing authority. It recommends a candidate for the post and forwards the recommendation to the administrative ministry.