"Happy That PM Understood Concerns": Minister On Lateral Entry Withdrawal

The Centre today requested the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to withdraw its advertisement for lateral entry into bureaucracy, a reversal following criticism from the Opposition and pressure from ally Chirag Paswan, who had reservations against the move. After the government's U-turn, the minister thanked the Prime Minister who "understood the concerns of people from SC/ST and OBCs".

UPSC last week issued an advertisement seeking "talented and motivated Indian nationals" for lateral recruitment to various senior positions within the Union government. These positions included Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary in 24 ministries, with a total of 45 posts up for grabs.

Yesterday, Mr Paswan said that "reservation provisions must be there in any government appointment. There are no ifs and buts in this. No reservation exists in the private sector and if it is not implemented in government positions as well..."

Mr Paswan said he was in with the Prime Minister and his office and said he held in-depth discussions with me and added that "I submitted relevant documents to his office. In all kinds of government appointments, rules of the reservation should be followed by the government," says Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan at a press conference in Patna, Bihar."

The Union Minister thanked the Prime Minister and said, "I am happy that my Prime Minister Modiji understood the concerns of SC/ST and backward people. My party LJP (Ram Vilas) and I thank PM Modi."

The lateral entry move was shredded by the Congress, who called it a ploy to snatch jobs from disadvantaged classes and give it to cadres of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor.

The Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have alleged that it is a "conspiracy" by the BJP to appoint its ideological allies to high posts through the back door.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that while the UPA government introduced lateral entry to appoint select experts in some areas, the NDA government is using it to "snatch the rights" of Dalits, tribals and backward classes.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said the Congress' criticism of the lateral entry system exposes its "hypocrisy".

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Vaishnaw said. "INC (Indian National Congress) hypocrisy is evident on lateral entry matter. It was the UPA government which developed the concept of lateral entry," he said.