A section of affected top executives raised eyebrows when Director (Personnel), SAIL was made interim CMD while citing few other such examples including Alka Mittal, the then Director (Pers) ONGC, who was also made interim CMD of ONGC for a longer period. 

HR veterans argued that if they were deemed competent enough to shoulder the top job during stop-gap arrangements, there was no logical basis to deny them permanent consideration.

This glass ceiling reportedly stemmed from an unspoken policy shift where the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had systematically stopped recommending HR-background executives for CMD roles—a trend that persisted until December 2025. Sources indicate that the turning point came when the incumbent Union Cabinet Secretary, Dr. T.V. Somanathan, opposed the restrictive practice and advised lifting the ceiling. Following this intervention, the PESB made a distinct departure from its previous stance; since January 2026, top personnel executives have rapidly gained traction and a level playing field among selectors.