Govt Forced To Take U-Turn On Lateral Entry: Opposition

Amid the ongoing row over Lateral Entry recruitment, RJD leader and MP Manoj Kumar Jha wrote on X that the Centre has been ‘forced to rollback’ its decision while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that BJP's bid to snatch away reservation has been foiled.

New Delhi:The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)'s advertisement for lateral recruitment of talented and motivated Indian nationals for the posts of 45 Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Deputy Secretary level officers, has drawn severe criticism from the Opposition parties.

Amid this ongoing row, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed the party's fight for social justice for Dalits, Adivasis, backward and weaker sections has foiled the BJP's plans to snatch away reservation.

Taking to social media, Kharge wrote on his X handle, "Samvidhan Jayate! The Congress party's fight for social justice for our Dalits, Adivasis, backward and weaker sections has foiled the BJP's plans to snatch away reservation. The Modi government's letter on Lateral Entry shows that only the power of the Constitution can defeat the arrogance of dictatorial power. The government has taken a step back from the campaign of Rahul Gandhi, Congress and INDIA parties, but as long as BJP-RSS is in power, it will keep adopting new tactics to snatch away reservation. We all have to be careful."

The move of lateral entry recruitment sparked a row between ruling BJP and opposition which escalated after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of it.

“Lateral Entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis. BJP’s distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from Bahujans,” he earlier wrote on social media X.

Responding to Congress on this issue, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw posted, “Lateral entry, INC hypocrisy is evident on lateral entry matter. It was the UPA government which developed the concept of lateral entry. The second Admin Reforms Commission (ARC) was established in 2005 under the UPA government. Shri Veerappa Moily chaired it. UPA period ARC recommended recruitment of experts to fill the gaps in roles that require specialized knowledge.”

“NDA government has created a transparent method to implement this recommendation. Recruitment will be done through UPSC in a transparent and fair manner. This reform will improve governance,” Vaishnaw added.

RJD leader and MP Manoj Kumar Jha wrote and posted a letter of DoPT Ministry on X, claiming government of India is literally ‘forced to rollback’ the decision on lateral entry. “GOI is literally ‘forced to rollback’ the decision on lateral entry is not an ordinary achievement. All those who could see a design against constitutional principles of ‘social justice’ and expressed their anguish need to realize that only ‘they have made it possible’ Jai Hind.”

Meaning of lateral entry:Lateral entry/ recruitment into bureaucracy refers to the recruitment of individuals outside the traditional government service cadres but willing to contribute towards nation building to join the government.

Idea behind lateral entry:It was initially recommended by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) established in 2005 during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by Congress. The ARC, chaired by Veerappa Moily, advocated for lateral entry to fill roles requiring specialised knowledge unavailable within traditional civil services.

Reason for criticism of lateral recruitment:Some opposition parties are criticising the lateral entry recruitment on the basis that there are no quotas for SC, ST and OBC candidates in such recruitment.

Officers recruited through lateral entry:As per Rajya Sabha data, so far 63 appointments have been made through lateral entry at the level of Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary during the last five years. Presently, 57 officers are in positions in Ministries/Departments. Lateral Recruitment is undertaken by UPSC for each post to be filled under Lateral Entry.

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission established in 2005 and chaired by Congress leader Veerappa Moily recommended the recruitment of experts to fill the gaps in roles that required specialised knowledge.

The NITI Aayog, in its three-year Action Agenda, and the Sectoral Group of Secretaries (SGoS) on Governance, in its report submitted in February, 2017, have recommended for induction of personnel in the middle and senior management level in the Government with the twin objective of bringing in fresh talent and augment the availability of manpower.

Keeping in view their specialised knowledge and expertise in the domain area, lateral recruitment at the level of Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary in Government of India, has been undertaken to appoint persons for specific assignments.

Read more