Ashok Kumar Jha appointed Principal Advisor at TRAI HQ on deputation

The Department of Telecommunications has approved the appointment of Ashok Kumar Jha, ITS, as Principal Advisor at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) headquarters in New Delhi.

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Jha, who is currently serving as Chief General Manager (CGM) of BSNL, will assume his new role on a deputation basis for an initial period of two years, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

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The appointment follows TRAI’s recommendation in its letter dated September 17, 2025. The terms and conditions of his deputation will be governed by Department of Personnel & Training guidelines, with matters not covered under existing provisions to be decided as per TRAI’s policies.

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Officials have been directed to relieve Jha from his current responsibilities at BSNL to enable him to join the new assignment at the earliest.

A Principal Advisor at the TRAI is a senior officer who heads a major division, providing policy and regulatory recommendations to the government and overseeing specialized sectors like broadcasting, spectrum management, network infrastructure, and financial analysis. These Principal Advisors are typically from the Indian Telecom Service (ITS) and bring extensive experience to their roles within TRAI's organizational structure.