In a significant departure from the government's tendency to get experts on board its vast pool of bureaucrats, the Central Government on Tuesday asked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to withdraw an advertisement for hiring specialists in different departments and ministries.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, while writing to the UPSC chairman, is said to have re-emphasized the unwavering commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the process of lateral entry, stating that it has to be in conformity with the constitutional guarantee of equality and social justice in respect of the provisions for reservations from that angle.
Singh also pointed out to the fact that till 2014 most of the lateral entries were ad hoc and sometimes blotted with favoritism; he said that now it is attempted to institutionalize it and that such a scheme is made transparent and all-embracing.
"The Prime Minister is of the firm belief that the process of lateral entry must reflect the spirit and the intent behind the principles of equity and social justice enshrined in our Constitution, more so in respect of the provisions for reservation," he added.
This said Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was "a decision which is going to reinforce not only the social justice principles but is also going to put lot of strength in the welfare of the most vulnerable sections of the society. "This decision of aligning the lateral entry with the principles of reservation is a reflection of PM Modi's commitment to social justice," he posted on a social media platform X.
The move comes following protests by BJP allies like the Lok Janshakti Party and Janata Dal (United), who had opposed the proposed recruitment of around 45 positions without reservations for backward classes.
In retaliation, Congress and the INDIA bloc have criticized the Modi regime with an argumentative rhetoric labeling the move an "attack on the Dalits and OBCs."
The controversy broke out way back in August after the UPSC came out with an advertisement on August 17 that listed jobs for 45 domain experts to be taken as Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, and Directors. While 10 of the departmental officials were to be positioned as Joint Secretaries, the rest of them were to be fitted in positions described as Directors or Deputy Secretaries under several ministries like finance, electronics, agriculture, environment, and renewable energy.
