Centre asks UPSC chairperson to cancel latest lateral entry advertisement amidst controversy
The issue was intensified by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who labelled the initiative as an "attack" on Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis, accusing the government of undermining the reservation system.
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FollowUnion Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday (August 20) formally wrote to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to cancel its recent advertisement for lateral entry positions, following directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The advertisement, issued last Saturday, sought to fill 45 posts—10 for joint secretaries and 35 for directors/deputy secretaries—through lateral entry on a contract basis. This scheme aimed to bring specialists, including those from the private sector, into government departments.
The move has sparked significant controversy. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally and Union Minister Chirag Paswan expressed concerns about making appointments without considering reservation quotas.
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The issue was further intensified by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who labelled the initiative as an "attack" on Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis, accusing the government of undermining the reservation system.
In response, the Centre defended the lateral entry scheme, stressing that it would not impact the recruitment of SC/ST candidates within all India services. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw pointed out that lateral entry into the bureaucracy has been a practice since the 1970s, with notable examples including former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who were appointed through similar routes during Congress-led governments.
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Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal countered Rahul Gandhi's allegations, asserting that the current government's approach to lateral entry is a systematic enhancement of a longstanding practice. "You started lateral entry. Prime Minister Modi has made it methodical," Meghwal remarked, referring to the historical context of the practice.
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