The Union Public Service Commission's recent advertisement of 45 key vacancies through lateral entry, including ten joint secretary and 35 director/deputy secretary-level posts across various Union government ministries, has sparked significant political debate, with opposition parties criticising the move as a deliberate attempt to circumvent reservation policies in senior government positions.
The UPSC's advertisement marks a continuation of the government's practice of lateral recruitment, a method introduced in 2018 aimed at bringing in individuals with specialised knowledge and expertise from outside the traditional civil services.
The vacancies, all to be filled on a contractual basis for three years, with a possibility of extension to five years depending on performance, include roles in key ministries such as home, finance, and steel, as well as agriculture, civil aviation, and information & broadcasting. The application deadline is set for 17th September 2024.
The controversy centres around the absence of reservation policies in the lateral entry recruitment process. The Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh, clarified in Parliament that details regarding the categories of selected candidates are not maintained for lateral recruitment, as reservations do not apply to single-post cadres.
This explanation has further fuelled accusations from opposition leaders that the government is intentionally excluding candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) from these high-level positions.
Critics argue that the absence of reservations in lateral recruitment undermines the constitutional mandate to ensure representation for disadvantaged communities in government roles. Opposition parties, including the Congress, have voiced concerns that the lateral entry system is being used as a tool to bypass reservations, thereby excluding SC, ST, and OBC candidates from significant government positions.
The Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and former party president Rahul Gandhi, have been particularly vocal in their criticism, accusing the government of eroding the constitutional provisions for reservations.
The issue has also been raised by regional political leaders and smaller parties, who view the move as part of a broader strategy by the ruling government to dilute the influence of reservations in the public sector. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Bharat Adivasi Party, among others, have expressed concern that the lateral entry system favours candidates from upper castes, thereby perpetuating existing inequalities in the recruitment process.
Adding to the controversy is the broader context of the government's approach to reservations. The Supreme Court's recent decision allowing states to sub-categorise Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for the purpose of granting separate quotas has already prompted debate on the effectiveness of such measures in addressing social and economic disparities. Critics of the government's lateral entry policy argue that it is a step backwards in the ongoing struggle for social justice and equitable representation in government services.
The Modi government’s lateral entry scheme has led to 63 appointments since its inception, with 35 of these coming from the private sector. Presently, 57 officers appointed through this system are serving in various ministries and departments. However, the absence of reservation in this recruitment method has sparked a wider debate about the future of affirmative action in India’s civil services.