Lateral entry controversy: Five big questions answered (2024)

New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 19, 2024 16:04 IST

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on August 17 circulated an advertisem*nt, 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.

As many as 45 posts have been advertised for experienced individuals from State and UT governments, research institutes, PSUs, universities and the private sector. The advertisem*nt also states that all posts are suitable for Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD).

Several opposition parties are attacking the government for not having any reservations for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates in the lateral entry into the bureaucracy.

Who came up with the idea of lateral entry for government departments, when did the process start, how many officers have been recruited laterally, what is the political controversy now and how has it been kept out of the ambit of caste-based reservations? Straight answers to five big questions on lateral entry.

1. WHOSE BRAINCHILD WAS LATERAL ENTRY, WHEN DID IT START?

In 2017, NITI Aayog, in its three-year Action Agenda, and the Sectoral Group of Secretaries (SGoS) on Governance, in their report submitted in February, recommended the recruitment of personnel from outside the All India Services for middle and senior management positions within the central government's bureaucracy. These people would be domain experts and help fill critical gaps. They could be from private companies, public sector utilities and state governments.

The first lateral-entry recruitment took place in 2018, under the NDA government. However, the seeds of the idea were sown by the Congress-led UPA-I government.

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission established by it in 2005 and chaired by Congress leader Veerappa Moily recommended the recruitment of experts to fill the gaps in roles that required specialised knowledge.

2. WHAT EXACTLY IS LATERAL-ENTRY SCHEME, HOW DOES IT HELP?

The idea of lateral entry is to absorb new ideas and expertise into the bureaucracy, which has traditionally been dominated by career bureaucrats from the All India Services and Central Civil Services.

Experts are recruited initially for a period of three years, which can then be extended to five years.

Till now, the senior-most position for which recruitment has either happened or has been advertised is the joint secretary. A joint secretary is the senior-most officer after the secretary and additional secretary.

The August 17 advertisem*nt by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for 45 lateral entrants, including 10 joint-secretary-level officers, seeks experts in emerging technologies, semiconductors and cybersecurity.

Career bureaucrats most likely do not have the requisite skill sets for these particular jobs. That is why the government looks to hire domain experts through lateral entry.

3. HOW MANY OFFICERS RECRUITED THROUGH LATERAL ENTRY?

Since 2018, a total of 63 people have been recruited under it and have entered the bureaucracy. Around 35 of them are from the private sector. The recruitment includes eight joint secretaries in 2019 and 30 officers (3 joint secretaries and 27 directors) in 2022.

There are 57 lateral entrants in several ministries and departments.

The positions advertised in 2018 were only for the joint secretary-level officers. The ranks of director and deputy secretary were opened later.

4. WHY ARE OPPOSITION LEADERS OPPOSING LATERAL ENTRY?

Opposition parties have come out all guns blazing against the government's decision to recruit bureaucrats through lateral entry as it affects the reservation of SCs, STs and OBCs.

"Reservation of SC, ST and OBC classes is being openly snatched away by recruiting through lateral entry on important posts in various ministries of the central government," Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

PM Narendra Modi is "attacking the Constitution by recruiting public servants through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) instead of the Union Public Service Commission", he added.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also followed suit.

He alleged this was "part of a well-planned conspiracy, the BJP is deliberately making such recruitments in jobs so that SC, ST, OBC categories can be kept away from reservation".

"It is necessary to fully implement the provisions of economic, social and political justice enshrined in the Constitution of India. That is why the Congress Party is demanding caste census for social justice," Kharge added.

Samajwadi Chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the government was trying to bring ideologically like-minded people into various ministries from the backdoor.

BSP chief Mayawati has called the decision "illegal and unconstitutional".

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav attacked the Congress for 'hypocrisy', saying that it was the grand old party, who introduced the concept.

5. WHY LATERAL ENTRY OUTSIDE AMBIT OF RESERVATION?

Reservations are not applied to recruitment of lateral entrants. This is because these lateral entries into the bureaucracy are single-cadre appointments to which reservations do not apply, Union Minister Jitendra Singh had told the Rajya Sabha in 2019.

He explained how lateral entry was used to fill a single post in each ministry.

This is similar to a bureaucrat being appointed to a department. And reservation does not apply here, Singh added.

Moreover, the lateral-entry officers are a small pool for a short duration (up to 5 years), so, reservation doesn't make much sense.