Engineering graduate clause dropped for selection of NTPC Chairman

KOLKATA: The search panel constituted to select a new chairman for NTPC Ltd, the country’s biggest power generator, has dropped the clause requiring an engineering degree as a prerequisite for the post. Officers of the Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) had objected to the clause as it rendered many of them ineligible for the plum post.

The post fell vacant after Arup Roy Chowdhury, who served as the chairman for five years, retired on August 31.

"The IAS lobby wanted the clause removed, so that its members could apply for the job," a senior government official said on condition of anonymity. "The government has finally relented to their demand. However, the search committee is yet to invite applications for the post."

AK Jha, director technical at NTPC, has been temporarily holding the CMD’s charge for the past three months. If the search panel is not able to select a candidate for the post soon, Jha’s tenure may be extended by another three months, another official said.

As of now, Atanu Chakraborty, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Gujarat Cadre, is the front-runner for the post.