SAIL Chairman Post: Interviews Soon as Heavyweights Enter the Fray!

Interviews for the post of Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) are likely to be conducted by the end of this month. With the interview schedule approaching, the race for the Chairman’s position has intensified. Several Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and top shots from other PSUs are also said to be vying for the top post.

Candidates who are at present said to have applied for the Chairman’s position include BSL Director In-Charge Priya Ranjan, Durgapur Steel Plant Director In-Charge Surjit Mishra, Rourkela Steel Plant Director In-Charge Alok Verma, SAIL Director (Finance & Accounts) A.K. Panda, Director (Mining) Manish Raj Gupta, BSL Executive Director (Projects) Anish Sengupta, and Alloy Steel Plant Executive Director S. Shubhraj, among others.

Apart from SAIL executives, officials from other public sector undertakings and IAS officers have also submitted applications for the Chairman’s post. The shortlist of eligible candidates is expected to be released by March 24, with only 12 to 14 candidates likely to be shortlisted for the interview.

Sources tell www.indianpsu.com that apart from the names made public so far, there are one or too strong candidates whose identity is yet to be revealed. They say that one of these candidates could well be the choice of the Ministry of Steel to be the Interim Chairman of the steel behemoth PSU.

Among those shortlisted, around most candidates are expected to be from SAIL or ex-SAIL, while the remaining will be from other PSUs. The interviews will be conducted online, and the results are expected to be announced within a few hours after the completion of the interview process.

Meanwhile, until a permanent Chairman is appointed, the Ministry of Steel has begun the process of selecting an Interim Chairman. An announcement regarding the interim appointment is likely by March 30.

The selection of the Interim Chairman has emerged as the biggest challenge for the Ministry of Steel. If the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) recommends a candidate, the process could still take considerable time, as the proposed name must go through multiple clearances. These include detailed background checks, vigilance clearance, and finally the approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

Industry leaders point out that a more complex situation could arise if PESB rejects all the candidates and refers the matter to a Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC). In such a scenario, the process of appointing a full-time Chairman could take even longer. Consequently, the role and selection of the Interim Chairman would become far more significant and critical for ensuring continuity in leadership at the company.

The SAIL Board of Directors meeting was held in New Delhi on Monday, March 16, under the chairmanship of SAIL Chairman Amarendu Prakash. This was his final board meeting as Chairman, as he will step down from the post on April 1, 2026.