Cancellation of Lateral Entry Appointments: Jitendra Singh Writes to UPSC Chairman, Decision Altered Following PM Modi’s Directive
On August 17, the UPSC announced a vacancy for 45 positions under lateral entry recruitment. This decision has now been revoked. Central Minister Jitendra Singh instructed the UPSC Chairman to cancel the notification. The decision was changed on the request of PM Modi.
Rahul Gandhi also opposed this vacancy, stating that the lateral entry system was openly stripping away the rights of SC-ST and OBC categories. He accused the Modi government of recruiting RSS members as public servants.
In response to Rahul Gandhi, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal pointed out that it was through lateral entry that former PM Manmohan Singh became Finance Secretary in 1976, Montek Singh Ahluwalia was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, and Sonia Gandhi was made Chief of the National Advisory Council (NAC).
The Congress party initiated the lateral entry system. Now, PM Modi has empowered the UPSC to formulate rules to organize the lateral entry system. Previously, there was no formal system for lateral entry in earlier governments.
Meghwal Claims Nehru Opposed Reservation
Arjun Ram Meghwal has accused Jawaharlal Nehru of opposing reservation for OBCs in the Lok Sabha in 1961, while he was Prime Minister, and also claimed that Rajiv Gandhi, when he was the leader of the opposition, opposed it.
Meghwal stated that lateral entry is open to everyone, and people from all categories apply. He questioned the claims of ending reservation, asking what was done when the previous recruitment processes were in place.
Law Minister Meghwal remarked that Rahul Gandhi’s sudden concern for OBCs seems insincere. He accused Gandhi of misleading SC, ST, and OBC students and attempting to undermine their interests. Meghwal also criticized Gandhi for spreading falsehoods and attempting to tarnish the reputation of institutions like the UPSC.
Chirag Paswan Calls for Reservation in Government Appointments
Central Minister Chirag Paswan has also raised concerns about lateral entry recruitment. He stated that reservation should be applied in government appointments, noting that there is no reservation in the private sector.
He expressed concern that if reservation is not being implemented for government positions, it is an issue.
Paswan added, “The government and the Prime Minister support reservation. However, there are certain positions where direct recruitment through lateral entry is being done without considering reservation.
My party and I do not agree with this. We are fully opposed to it. As part of the government, we have expressed our concerns to the government and will continue to raise our voices on this issue in the coming days.”
Rahul Gandhi Claims SC-ST and OBC Rights Are Being Undermined
On August 18, following the UPSC recruitment notification, Rahul Gandhi wrote that the rights of SC, ST, and OBC categories are being openly stripped away through lateral entry recruitment.
What is Lateral Entry?
Lateral entry refers to direct recruitment without the need for an examination. Through lateral entry, the central government recruits experts from the private sector directly into high-level positions in UPSC.
This process includes professionals with extensive experience in fields such as revenue, finance, economics, agriculture, and education.
Positions like Joint Secretary, Directors, and Deputy Secretary in government ministries are filled through lateral entry. The lateral entry system was introduced in UPSC in 2018. During this process, 6,077 applications were received for Joint Secretary level positions.
After the UPSC selection process, nine appointments were made across various ministries and departments in 2019.
