Seven candidates shortlisted for ONGC top job amidst age criterion debate

The Indian government has narrowed down its search for a new chairman and managing director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to seven candidates, who will participate in the second round of interviews this week.

The shortlisted applicants include Ranjit Rath, 54, currently the chairperson and managing director of Oil India Ltd, who is considered a frontrunner for the position. The other candidates are Rajarshi Gupta, 59, MD of ONGC Videsh Ltd; Vikram Saxena, Director (Technology and Field Services) at ONGC; Satyam Kumar, Director (Strategy and Corporate Affairs); Dulal Halder, Director (Operations) at OVL; Devendra Kumar, Director (Finance) at MRPL; and SP Shrivastava, Director (Marketing) at Indian Oil Corporation.

The selection process has been scrutinized due to a one-off relaxation in the age criterion, which allows candidates up to 59 years old. However, this decision has raised questions about Rajarshi Gupta's eligibility, as he will be 59 years and five months old on December 7, when Arun Kumar Singh's extended tenure ends.

The three-member committee responsible for the selection includes the Public Enterprises Selection Board chairperson, the oil secretary, and a former Indian Oil chairman as an outside expert. The selected chairman will oversee ONGC's exploration, production, profitability, new-energy and petrochemical expansion, acquisitions, and technology adoption.