The Indian government is considering allowing Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to appoint a chairman and managing director (CMD) from the private sector, breaking from its traditional practice of selecting internal candidates. This decision follows a significant delay in filling the position after PK Purwar's tenure ended in July 2024. Currently, Robert J Ravi, deputy director general at the Department of Telecommunications, has been acting as CMD since then. The government aims to establish a fair and transparent selection process with clearly defined eligibility criteria. Previous attempts to appoint a new CMD saw over 10 candidates interviewed, but no appointments were made, partly due to ongoing investigations against some directors. Despite BSNL's previous quarterly profits of ₹262 crore and ₹280 crore in FY25, the company reported a net loss of approximately ₹1,306 crore in the third quarter of FY26, highlighting the urgency of leadership stability.