What it does: BSNL is an Indian government-owned telecommunications group that provides internet, IP, and mobile and telephone services.
Best known for: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ranks BSNL as the largest fixed-line operator and fourth-largest wireless operator in India.
Staff stats: more than 63,000 employees in India
Financials: INR175 billion of authorized share capital and INR125 billion of paid-up capital
The good bits: Total compensation packages for entry-level roles are better than the industry average. For instance, junior engineers earn an average monthly salary between INR35,000 and INR38,000.
The not-so-good bits: BSNL typically recruits people for entry-level roles once every few years. Freshers also need to pay application fees for certain positions like junior telecom officers and junior engineers.
The government of India established BSNL in 2000 to take over the telecommunications business of the Central Government Department of Telecom Services and Department of Telecom Operations. Its corporate heritage dates back as far as the British colonial period.
BSNL’s 160-year-old telegram service, which was discontinued in 2015, proves that the company is the oldest telecommunications provider in India.
With more than 9 million fixed-line subscribers and over 121 million mobile subscribers, BSNL is the largest wireline and fourth-largest wireless operator in India. Its services cover most of the country (except Delhi and Mumbai).
Since BSNL is a government-owned entity, freshers might experience a bureaucratic work culture. The average age of employees is 44 years old, although most employees describe the workplace environment as collaborative and helpful.
BSNL complements the nice working environment with investments in employee training. The company has six training facilities at the Advance Level Telecom Training Center in Ghaziabad.
Employees learn about management and technical skills, as well as participate in the Central and State Governments’ SKILL development program. Normal working hours generally start from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
BSNL competes with Airtel, Jio, Reliance Communications, Tata Teleservices, and Vi.
BSNL notified 2,000 broadband users in 2017 to change their passwords after a supposed cyberattack. The incident stemmed from a malware threat that targeted BSNL’s broadband network via modems with default passwords.
The company spends at least 2% of its average net profit on corporate social responsibility programs. BSNL allocates the budget every financial year based on ‘the three immediately preceding financial years.
A career at BSNL entails a lot of patience and hard work because a quick career progression seems like an uphill climb. There’s also no guarantee of landing a job after paying the application fees.
On the bright side, successful candidates are rewarded with a competitive remuneration package. In exchange for working at a government-owned entity, freshers also enjoy job security of tenure.
BSNL doesn’t actively post job listings on its website, so freshers must remember important dates for external recruitment. Insiders said that recruitment exams for freshers usually happen every year or once every two to three years.
If the company announces job vacancies, there’s a link for online applications that should only redirect applicants to the official website.
There are application fees for certain jobs such as junior accounts officers, junior engineers, junior telecom officers, and management trainees. The rates will depend on these categories:
Those who pass the exam will then need to ace the interview. Aspiring management trainees will also need to participate in a group discussion. Here are some of the common interview questions:
Aside from money, be prepared to invest time in a job application at BSNL. The company may take up to six months to complete the recruitment process.
Freshers can join BSNL as management trainees (telecom operations) for a fast-tracked career. Management trainees are at least 21 years old and have an MBA or M.Tech from a reputable institute or university in India. The program takes two years with 52 weeks of on-the-job training.
There’s a steep corporate hierarchy at BSNL:
General managers can become principal general managers if they are assigned to a metro city (eg Ahmedabad). On the other hand, chief general managers work on a state level.
Employees can take a competitive exam to land a promotion every three to four years (only up to a general manager position).
BSNL employees earn more than the industry average. A telecommunications professional in India earns an average monthly salary of INR 28,000.
A fresher’s actual salary per month at the company will largely depend on their role:
Company-wide benefits include health insurance, pension and retirement plans (eg EPF contributions), paid time off, and parental leave.
Some employees like junior engineers get discounts for broadband connections, free mobile and landline services, and a 7th pay commission (a 15% to 25% salary hike).