End of Telecom links with BSNL

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The link between Department of Telecom (DoT) and BSNL is ending. The deadline for Group A ITS (Indian Telecom Service) officers to be absorbed in BSNL/MTNL ended on November 8, and only eight in the country opted to join  BSNL.  The general manager with Thiruvananthapuram SSA, S Jyothi Sankar,  is the only person in South India  who decided to continue with BSNL.‘‘The majority of the officials do not want to be in a public sector undertaking. They are willing to work in the government sector like DoT, IT or other government services,’’ according to Roy M Jacob, president Indian Telecommunications Services Association (Kerala Chapter).Around 1560 Group A ITS officers were working in BSNL/MTNL as DoT officers. In addition, 260 ITS officers are working in various DoT units. When BSNL was formed as a separate company in 2000, the officers and staff were given the option  to be with DoT or  BSNL. About three lakh Group B, C and D staff got absorbed in BSNL nearly ten years back. Over 50 ITS officers in 2005 and four in 2008 joined BSNL.On November 9, 319 ITS officers who were repatriated to DoT were asked to report in New Delhi with immediate effect.“The Group A officers have joined the Telecom Department through the Combined Engineering Services Examination of UPSC. When BSNL was formed, these officers were allowed to continue in BSNL on deemed deputation. Though an option was given in 2005, there was no clarity on it and the officers decided to continue in BSNL as DoT staff,’’ said Roy M Jacob.There are around eight persons from Kerala, including four general managers and four deputy general managers, who left for New Delhi on repatriation.