Centre asks UPSC chief to scrap new lateral entry advertisement

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has formally requested the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to cancel its recent advertisement for lateral entry into senior government positions. In his letter, Mr. Singh emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed that any process of lateral entry must adhere to the principles of equity and social justice, as outlined in the Constitution, particularly concerning the reservation system.

The UPSC recently issued an advertisement seeking "talented and motivated Indian nationals" for lateral recruitment into senior roles within the Union government. These roles include Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary positions across 24 ministries, with a total of 45 posts available. The announcement has sparked debate over the lateral entry process, especially following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism, which the BJP countered by highlighting that the concept originated under a Congress-led government.

A controversial debate

"While most of the major lateral entries before 2014 were made in an ad-hoc manner, including cases of alleged favoritism, efforts of our government have been to make the process institutionally driven, transparent, and open," Mr. Singh wrote in his letter. He stressed that Prime Minister Modi firmly believes that lateral entry must align with the constitutional principles of equity and social justice, particularly in regard to reservation provisions.

History of lateral entry in bureaucracy

Lateral entry into the bureaucracy involves recruiting individuals from outside the traditional government service cadres, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), to fill mid and senior-level positions. This process was formally introduced during Prime Minister Modi's tenure, with the first set of vacancies announced in 2018. This marked a significant departure from the traditional system, where senior bureaucratic positions were almost exclusively reserved for career civil servants.

Origins of lateral entry concept

Government sources have noted that the idea of lateral entry was first proposed during the UPA government, led by Congress, in the mid-2000s. In 2005, the UPA established the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) under the chairmanship of Veerappa Moily, which recommended reforms to the Indian administrative system. Mr. Singh highlighted that while the concept was initially endorsed by the Second ARC and later supported by the Sixth Pay Commission in 2013, its implementation has often lacked transparency and fairness.

Ensuring social justice

"For PM Modi, reservation in public employment is a cornerstone of our social justice framework, aimed at addressing historical injustices and promoting inclusivity," Mr. Singh stated in his letter. He underscored the importance of upholding the constitutional mandate towards social justice to ensure that deserving candidates from marginalized communities receive rightful representation in government services.

Concerns over past appointments

Mr. Singh cited several high-profile cases where lateral entrants were appointed to key positions without following proper reservation protocols, including roles within the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and Secretary-level posts in various ministries during earlier administrations. "Since these positions have been treated as specialized and designated as single-cadre posts, there has been no provision for reservation in these appointments. This aspect needs to be reviewed and reformed in the context of the Prime Minister's focus on ensuring social justice," Mr. Singh urged in his letter.