After Facing Flak, UPSC Cancels Ads For Lateral Entry Recruitment to Bureaucracy

New Delhi: Amid a political row, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday cancelled its advertisement for lateral entry recruitment into the bureaucracy, following a request from the Centre. The UPSC had initially issued a notification on August 17 to recruit 45 joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries through lateral entry, including candidates from the private sector. However, this move drew sharp criticism from opposition parties, who argued it undermined the reservation rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs.

In a cancellation notice, the UPSC stated, "The advertisement pertaining to lateral recruitment for 45 posts at the level of joint secretary/director/deputy secretary in various departments, published on August 17, 2024, is cancelled as requested by the requisitioning authority."

Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote to UPSC Chairperson Preeti Sudan, requesting the cancellation of the advertisement to ensure marginalized communities receive their rightful representation in government services.

Lateral Entry Into Bureaucracy

Lateral entry into the bureaucracy referred to the practice of recruiting individuals from outside traditional government service cadres to fill mid and senior-level positions. This initiative was officially introduced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure, with the first vacancies announced in 2018. Typically, candidates are appointed on contracts lasting from three to five years, with the possibility of extensions based on performance. The aim is to tackle complex governance and policy challenges using external expertise.

The concept of lateral entry has historical roots. It was first recommended by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), which was established in 2005 under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by Congress. Chaired by Veerappa Moily, the ARC proposed lateral entry as a means to fill roles that require specialized knowledge not available within traditional civil services. The recommendations included recruiting professionals from the private sector, academia, and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to improve governance and policy implementation.

Controversy Surrounding Lateral Entry

The debate over lateral entry gained momentum when the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) advertised for 45 senior positions, such as joint secretary, director, and deputy secretary, across 24 Union ministries. These roles are critical for decision-making and administration within government departments. Candidates from state/UT governments, PSUs, statutory organizations, research institutes, universities, and the private sector are eligible to apply.

Regarding reservation policies, the 13-point roster policy governs public jobs and universities. However, a Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) circular clarifies that mandatory reservations do not apply to appointments made through deputation. The process of lateral entry is seen as similar to deputation in this context. According to the DoPT files, “In a single post cadre, reservation does not apply. Since each post to be filled under this scheme [lateral entry] is a Single Post, reservation is not applicable.”