Centre's U-Turn On Lateral Entry After Pressure From Allies, Opposition | Read

Union Minister Jitendra Singh today wrote to the head of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), asking the civil service body to cancel its advertisement for lateral entry into bureaucracy.  

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

This move has triggered a debate on lateral entry into bureaucracy, especially after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent criticism of the process, which the BJP has countered by pointing out that the concept was initially developed under a Congress-led government.