On Tuesday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh officially wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) urging the latter to withdraw the recent advertisement for lateral entry posts. This request comes after an order from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The UPSC published an advertisement last Saturday intending to recruit 45 persons under a new system referred to as lateral entry. The posts were 10 joint secretaries and 35 directors or deputy secretaries, which would have been advertised to be provided as contractual. The lateral entry scheme aims to attract specialists, such as those who have worked in the private sector, to different ministries and departments to add knowledge and productivity.
Lateral entry is, therefore, meant to improve the quality of administration since it recruits professionals with adequate knowledge and experience in administering a given organization for service to the general public. The posts were meant to be staffed through a regime selection-based process conducted by UPSC so that people from all fields could apply.
Nevertheless, the cancellation of the advertisement is indicative of a change in the government’s stand on the scheme. The specific grounds have not been articulated in the letter from the minister, but it comes after consultations and advice. The development suggests the possibility of a new turn towards reconsidering the lateral entry policy and how it is being carried out.
UPSC’s advertisement for these positions elicited a lot of interest, and people were looking forward to the infusion of outsiders into the bureaucracy. This cancellation may affect the hiring activity of candidates, as well as the agency’s goal of promoting efficiency through lateral entry.
In his move, Union Minister Jitendra Singh was sending a message that the government was keen to ensure that administrative reforms complied with the government’s strategic vision and operational needs. The UPSC will now wait for any further plans regarding the lateral entry scheme and other changed prospects in recruiting professionals for these vital jobs.
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