UPSC issues ad for lateral entry into bureaucracy: What is the policy, why it has no reservation provision
- The Centre has opened a fresh round of lateral recruitments, from the private sector and elsewhere, into senior posts in the bureaucracy.
- The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday (August 17) issued an advertisement seeking applications for “talented and motivated Indian nationals for Lateral Recruitment” to the posts of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary in 24 ministries of the Union government.
- A total of 45 posts have been advertised with individuals having appropriate qualifications and experience from State/UT governments, PSUs, statutory organisations, research institutes and universities, and even the private sector eligible to apply.
- The advertisement mentions that all posts are “suitable for candidates belonging to the category of Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD).”
- However, opposition party leaders have criticised the policy for not having reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates.
lateral entry:
- In 2017, NITI Aayog and the Sectoral Group of Secretaries (SGoS) recommended the induction of personnel at middle and senior management levels in the central government.
- These ‘lateral entrants’ would be part of the central secretariat which, till then, had only career bureaucrats from the All India Services/ Central Civil Services.
- Based on the above recommendation, Joint Secretary level positions,Posts of the rank of Director and Deputy Secretary were open for lateral entry
- In 2019, Minister of State for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Jitendra Singh told “lateral recruitment is aimed at achieving the twin objectives of bringing in fresh talent as well as augment the availability of manpower”.
- Basically, the idea behind lateral recruitment is for the government to tap into individuals’ domain expertise and specialised know-how, regardless of whether they are career bureaucrats or not.
lateral recruitment so far:
- The first round began in 2018, nine individuals were recommended for appointment. Another round of lateral recruitment was advertised in 2021, with two more rounds in May 2023.
- In total, as MoS Jitendra Singh told the Upper House on August 9 this year, “63 appointments have been made through lateral entry… in the last five years. Presently, 57 officers [lateral entrants] occupy positions in Ministries/ Departments.”
Criticism of lateral entry recruitment:
- Lateral entries have been criticised on the grounds that there are no quotas for SC, ST and OBC candidates in such recruitment.
Why no quotas in lateral recruitment:
- In a May 15, 2018 circular, the DoPT noted that “in respect of appointments to Central Government posts and services there shall be reservation for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Other Backward Class candidates in temporary appointments which are to last for 45 days or more”
- According to this policy, a candidate’s position on a roster of openings is determined by dividing the quota percentage of their group (SC, ST, OBC, and now EWS) by a hundred.
- 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”.