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The Modi Government has cancelled its planned lateral recruitment for 45 senior bureaucratic positions just two days after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) issued advertisements for the posts. The decision was made in response to concerns over the lack of quotas for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, which prompted the UPSC to retract the advertisement following a government request.

The cancellation comes after intense criticism from opposition parties and pressure from ally Chirag Paswan, who expressed concerns about the absence of reservation provisions in the recruitment process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that the recruitment process must align with social justice, according to Union Minister Jitendra Singh’s letter to the UPSC chief.

The UPSC recently advertised for the lateral recruitment of “talented and motivated Indian nationals” to fill 45 posts, including Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary, across 24 ministries. The lateral entry process allows professionals from outside the traditional government service cadres to join mid—and senior-level positions in the government.

The move sparked a debate, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi denouncing it as an “attack on Dalits.” The ruling BJP countered by noting that the concept of lateral entry originated during a Congress-led government. However, Chirag Paswan, a BJP ally, echoed the concerns and welcomed the decision to cancel the recruitment, stating that it demonstrated the government’s commitment to addressing public concerns.

Paswan had raised the issue with the Prime Minister and other authorities, advocating for the inclusion of reservation provisions in all government appointments. He expressed satisfaction with the government’s decision and thanked Prime Minister Modi for understanding the concerns of marginalised communities.

The concept of lateral entry was formally introduced during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, with the first vacancies announced in 2018. While the idea was first proposed by the UPA government in the mid-2000s, its implementation has been criticized for lacking transparency and fairness.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh pointed out that lateral entry was endorsed by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) under the chairmanship of Veerappa Moily and supported by the Sixth Pay Commission in 2013. However, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that reservation protocols are followed in the recruitment process to uphold the principles of social justice.

Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, accused the Modi government of using lateral entry as a backdoor to recruit officers loyal to the BJP’s ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In response, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the ARC, chaired by Congress leader Veerappa Moily, originally recommended lateral recruitment to fill roles requiring specialized knowledge.

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