Indias best employers - PSUs ?

I was reading an article on "India's best employers" in a leading business daily.
6 software firms.
2 banks
1 ITES firm
1 PSU.

A PSU ? Is it a fluke ? Isn't it a misfit. Read on and decide for yourself.

The software companies, banks and the ITES firm evoke no raised eyebrows.
The six software firms are well known organizations which have top-notch people practices and industry leading pay. The same holds true for the ITES firm (which until recently was run directly by the worlds largest company... so go figure)
The banks are BOTH foreign ones (Just in case your mind is working on the lines of "State bank of...")

Now to the star of the lineup - the PSU.
Think PSU, the first thought is of paan stained corridors, pot-bellied babus , stacks of files, overflowing cabinets, endless queues, and innumerable chaprasis. This might have been the case twenty years ago , under the shadow of quota rule and licenses, but in the era of liberalization , forced to compete with leaner private firms, PSUs have learnt to use their clout and the unwavering government backing (provided to most of the PSUs without question) to emerge winners.

Coming to the PSU - Its NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation)
People are so happy here , that the attrition rate is a stunning 0.4% and the average career here is 20 years long. Can we dismiss these numbers as a result of the public sector mindset or the lack of suitable employment elsewhere ? (I mean....how many companies in India can boast of being thermal power generators? :-P)
Contrary to other PSUs, NTPC has a reputation of being a fast mover. It finds innovative opportunities and converts them into money-spinners.
The learning here for any fresh recruit is huge. The training is liberal and provided in a planned and scheduled manner.The company sponsors higher education and vocational courses for its key executives.

The downsides ?
A gender ratio of 22:1 against women !!!
and
The "Government pay scale" (which to some extent is offset by the perks and other facilities)
But these are issues , the management seems t be addressing, when chilling out at the company's state of the art gymnasium or around the pool table.

But are PSUs prefered employers ?
They are not.
There used to be a time when the best technical talent of the country (from the IITs, RECs) as well as the best managers (from the IIMs) used to join PSUs.
Nowadays the tables have turned, and they have largely become unwanted by the top talent.

Maybe they cannot match the astronomical pay packages of the private firms.
Maybe its "uncool" to work in a "Government" firm.
Maybe a PSU just doesn't end up looking good on your CV.

The PSUs have a long heritage in our country and in many ways are insitutions , our country needs to be proud of.
They are key to our national security and in providing employment.
But in this era of increased competition, they need a major revamp, and a major image makeover, if they are to attract talent and stay competitive.

NTPC is an organization , worth emulating in this regard.