In a turn of events, BJP’s National Information & Technology Department Incharge, Amit Malviya, on Wednesday claimed that the Centre has withdrawn the controversial ‘Lateral Entry’ notification, but it has not been canceled.
He anticipated that the government might issue a more specific notification “with clear elucidation of guidelines and defined provisions for social justice, so that the usual suspects can’t vitiate the environment.”
Amit Malviya’s claim comes a day after the Centre, amid strong criticism from opposition parties, announced the cancellation of invitations for lateral entry posts in the bureaucracy on Tuesday.
Taking to X, Amit Malviya said, “The opposition is needlessly excited, claiming victory of sorts, just because the ‘Lateral Entry’ notification issued by the UPSC has been withdrawn.”
The opposition is needlessly excited, claiming victory of sorts, just because the ‘Lateral Entry’ notification, issued by the UPSC, has been withdrawn. Few points:
a) The notification has been withdrawn, not cancelled. A more specific notification likely to follow, with clear…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 21, 2024
In a lengthy post, he clarified, “The notification has been withdrawn, not canceled. A more specific notification is likely to follow, with clear elucidation of guidelines and defined provisions for social justice, so that the usual suspects can’t vitiate the environment.”
Defending the Modi government’s decision to withdraw the notification, he noted that the government had previously withdrawn the Land Acquisition Bill and three farm laws, stating, “The government is open to feedback, not obdurate.”
Govt Withdraws Lateral Entry Ad Into Bureaucracy On PM Modi’s Directions, Writes To UPSC Chairman
Malviya further defended the Modi government, saying, “The Modi government wants to ensure that lateral entries through UPSC are conducted in a transparent, institutionalized manner and are consistent with the principles of social justice and reservation. The Modi government has been at the forefront of delivering social justice, and in view of the same, and considering representations received from industry and social groups, the government is revisualizing the circular.”
Attacking the opposition Congress for its stance on lateral entries, Malviya accused them of being anti-transparency, stating, “They (Congress) prefer ad-hocism and opacity compared to institutionalized processes.”
What Is Lateral Entry?
Lateral entry refers to the recruitment of individuals from outside the traditional government service cadre to fill mid and senior-level positions in the central government. This approach was recommended in 2017 by NITI Aayog and the Sectoral Group of Secretaries on Governance. The concept aims to bring in fresh talent and expertise at higher levels of the central secretariat, a departure from the conventional practice of appointing only career bureaucrats from the All India Services and Central Civil Services.
The lateral entry process was formally introduced during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, with the first set of vacancies announced in 2018. These recruits, known as lateral entrants, were initially given contracts for three years, which could be extended up to five years. This initiative was seen as a way to infuse new ideas and experiences into government administration, though it has faced scrutiny and debate regarding its implications for the traditional bureaucratic system.
