Eleven compete for ONGC director T&FS job
Next month (December), the PESB will hold interviews to select a new ONGC director technology and field services.
On November 25 (2024), DoPT undersecretary Mohammad Jainuddin released a two-page notice listing 11 candidates to be interviewed between 2.30pm and 5.30pm on December 2 (2024) to replace Om Prakash Singh, who retires on December 31 (2024). Strikingly, all 11 candidates are from ONGC, with no one from either Oil India or the private sector.
"It's good that all the candidates are from ONGC!" exclaims a company source. In most cases, the PESB typically calls eight candidates for interview: five from within the state-owned company in question and three outsiders.
But this time, the PESB clearly received so many ONGC applications that it deviated from the norm. Prasun Kumar Sinha, ED and head of the Ahmedabad asset, is first on the list.
"If seniority (in ONGC) is the criterion," we hear, "Sinha should get the job." But Sinha has only onshore drilling experience, not offshore.
"He joined ONGC in Kolkata in 1989, worked in Ankleshwar, moved to Delhi, and is now back in Gujarat," says a colleague. Another strong candidate is Uday Paswan, an ED heading the (eastern) Cauvery asset with its HQ in Puducherry.
In the past, an ONGC director T&FS would typically have a drilling background. "Paswan's background is well services," we hear.
"But he has a good network." Sinha and Paswan are the only two EDs on the interview list.
All the others are ranked below. Seven are GGMs, with one CGM and one GM.
"If there are EDs on the list, usually one of them is recommended (by the PESB) after the interview," we hear. "But there have been exceptions."
Third on the list is Mahesan Balakrishna Pillai, GGM, heading maintenance at the Mumbai-based drilling services division. Next is Kamlesh Kumar Verma, a GGM and location manager, also based in Mumbai in the drilling services division.
Fifth is Sampath Mukundan, a GGM also in Mumbai, handling maintenance and procurement. Next is Bhupinder Pal Garg, a GGM working as the Mumbai-based location manager in (shallow water) drilling services at the Neelam & Heera, Bassein & Satellite assets.