The Ministry of Power, Government of India has invited applications for appointment to the post of Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) on deputation including short-term contract basis.
The Ministry of Power lists the current vacancy notice with a publication date of 23 September 2026. The post carries Pay Level 17, and the Chairperson has the status of ex-officio Secretary to the Government of India.
The recruitment provides a 45-day application window. Counting 45 days from 23 September 2026 gives a working closing date of 7 November 2026.
CEA Chairperson Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Central Electricity Authority |
| Ministry | Ministry of Power |
| Post | Chairperson |
| Vacancies | 1 |
| Recruitment Method | Deputation including Short-Term Contract |
| Pay Level | Level 17 |
| Basic Pay | ₹2,25,000 fixed per month |
| Status | Ex-officio Secretary to the Government of India |
| Current Notice Date | 23 September 2026 |
| Application Window | 45 days |
| Working Closing Date | 7 November 2026 |
| Maximum Age | 58 years |
| Location | New Delhi |
| Application Mode | Proper channel |
Pay and Status
The post is in Pay Level 17, corresponding to ₹2,25,000 fixed basic pay per month, with the allowances and benefits applicable to a Secretary to the Government of India.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Power notice | 23 September 2026 |
| Application window | 45 days from publication |
| Working closing date | 7 November 2026 |
| Anticipated vacancy date referenced in the current recruitment cycle | 1 June 2027 |
The 7 November date is the working date calculated from the Ministry's publication date and the stated 45-day window. Candidates should follow the exact receipt-date instruction in the current vacancy notice if the Ministry issues any corrigendum or extension.
Use Regal Naukri's Application Deadline Planner to set an earlier departmental forwarding target.
Who Can Apply?
Under the Central Electricity Authority (Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairperson and Other Members) Rules, 2024, eligible officers may come from the Central Government, State Governments, Union Territories, autonomous or statutory organisations, Public Sector Undertakings, Universities, or recognised research institutions.
This is a senior deputation appointment and is not entry-level direct recruitment.
Service Eligibility
An eligible officer must satisfy one of these service-grade routes:
- hold an analogous post on regular basis; or
- hold a Level 16 post with at least 1 year of regular service in the grade; or
- hold a Level 15 post with at least 2 years of regular service in the grade; or
- hold a Level 14 post with at least 5 years of regular service in the grade.
The applicant must also possess 3 years of field experience in a relevant field under Section 70(5) of the Electricity Act, 2003.
Use Regal Naukri's Work Experience Calculator to verify regular service and relevant field experience.
Relevant Field Experience
Section 70 of the Electricity Act covers senior expertise connected with electricity generation, transmission and supply, applied research, and applied economics, accounting, commerce or finance.
The Chairperson applicant must have at least 3 years of relevant field experience under the 2024 rules.
Age Limit
The maximum age for appointment as Chairperson is 58 years.
For an anticipated vacancy, the 2024 rules provide that age is determined on the date on which the vacancy is expected to arise. The current recruitment cycle identifies 1 June 2027 as the anticipated vacancy date.
Use Regal Naukri's Age Calculator with the controlling age-determination date in the current notice.
Tenure
The 2024 rules provide that the Chairperson may hold office for a period not exceeding 5 years or until reaching the age of superannuation, subject to the applicable provisions. The maximum deputation period including extension is 7 years.
Selection Process
The appointment is made under Section 70 of the Electricity Act, 2003 read with the CEA Terms and Conditions of Service Rules, 2024.
Selection is based on grade eligibility, relevant field experience, service record, vigilance status and overall suitability for this apex power-sector position. No open competitive written examination is announced for this recruitment.
Documents to Prepare
| Document / Record | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Prescribed application / bio-data | Candidate particulars |
| Service-grade certificate | Level / analogous-post eligibility |
| Experience profile | Relevant field experience |
| APAR / ACR records | Service assessment |
| Vigilance Clearance | Departmental processing |
| Integrity Certificate | Departmental processing |
| Penalty statement | Where prescribed |
| Cadre / employer certification | Proper-channel forwarding |
| Date of birth proof | Age verification |
Use Regal Naukri's Government Job Document Checklist to organise the application set.
How to Apply for CEA Chairperson Recruitment 2026
- Open the Ministry of Power What's New page.
- Locate “Appointment to the post of Chairperson, CEA” dated 23 September 2026.
- Read the complete current vacancy notice and application proforma.
- Check whether you satisfy the analogous / Level-16 / Level-15 / Level-14 service route.
- Confirm at least three years of relevant field experience.
- Check the maximum age requirement using Regal Naukri's Age Calculator.
- Complete the prescribed application and service profile.
- Arrange APARs/ACRs, Vigilance Clearance, Integrity Certificate and other documents required in the current notice.
- Route the application through the competent parent department or cadre-controlling authority.
- Ensure it reaches the Ministry within the stated 45-day application window.
Before submission, read Regal Naukri's How to Read a Government Job Notification to check the anticipated-vacancy age rule and alternate feeder-grade routes carefully.
Candidate Checklist
| Check | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Post | Chairperson, CEA |
| Vacancies | 1 |
| Pay | Level 17, ₹2,25,000 fixed |
| Recruitment | Deputation including Short-Term Contract |
| Service Route 1 | Analogous post |
| Service Route 2 | Level 16 + 1 year |
| Service Route 3 | Level 15 + 2 years |
| Service Route 4 | Level 14 + 5 years |
| Relevant Experience | 3 years |
| Maximum Age | 58 years |
| Location | New Delhi |
| Window | 45 days |
| Working Last Date | 7 November 2026 |
Useful Regal Naukri Tools
| Tool | Use |
|---|---|
| Eligibility Pre-check | Organise feeder-grade and experience conditions |
| Age Calculator | Check the 58-year age condition |
| Work Experience Calculator | Verify regular service and relevant field experience |
| Government Job Document Checklist | Prepare proper-channel documents |
| Application Deadline Planner | Plan departmental forwarding |
Important Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Power current notices | Open What's New Page |
| Ministry of Power | Open Official Website |
| Central Electricity Authority | Open CEA Website |
| CEA Service Rules 2024 | Open Rules PDF |
| Section 70 of Electricity Act | Open CEA Section 70 Page |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CEA Chairperson vacancies are available?
There is 1 vacancy.
What is the pay?
The post carries Pay Level 17 with ₹2,25,000 fixed basic pay per month.
Who can apply?
Eligible senior officers from the notified government/public/autonomous/statutory/university/research organisations who meet one of the prescribed service routes and the three-year relevant field-experience condition.
What is the maximum age?
The maximum age is 58 years. For an anticipated vacancy, the 2024 rules use the expected vacancy date for age determination.
What is the application deadline?
The current notice has a 45-day window from the 23 September 2026 publication date, giving a working date of 7 November 2026.
Is this direct recruitment?
No. The appointment is on deputation including short-term contract basis.