Opposing the direct recruitment of bureaucrats, the Congress today said that the Modi government has attacked reservation. “The government is doing this deliberately, so that people can be kept away from reservation,” said the GOP.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Tejashwi Yadav said that there is no provision of any kind of reservation in these recruitments. If the recruitment is done by UPSC; SC, ST and OBC should be given the benefit of reservation. 

“The Center is making a disgusting mockery of the constitution and reservation written by Baba Saheb,” said Yadav, calling the move a ‘systematic, planned and manipulative method to eliminate reservation.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has also opposed it by stating that the employees working in the lower positions will be deprived of promotion.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of Oppositions (LoP), called it an attack on constitution.

नरेंद्र मोदी संघ लोक सेवा आयोग की जगह ‘राष्ट्रीय स्वयं सेवक संघ’ के ज़रिए लोकसेवकों की भर्ती कर संविधान पर हमला कर रहे हैं।

केंद्र सरकार के विभिन्न मंत्रालयों में महत्वपूर्ण पदों पर लेटरल एंट्री के ज़रिए भर्ती कर खुलेआम SC, ST और OBC वर्ग का आरक्षण छीना जा रहा है।

मैंने हमेशा…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 18, 2024

Amid the major bureaucratic reshuffle this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led dispensation opened doors for the inclusion of professionals with domain expertise at the Joint Secretary and other senior-level ranks in government departments. 

The applications for lateral entry came for at least 45 posts of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary ranks in 24 Central ministries.

Notably, this is the biggest proposed lateral entry of bureaucrats in the government machinery since 2018.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Aug 17 issued an advertisement on Aug 17, notifying about the ‘vacancy’ for 45 domain experts in the rank and pay of Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, and Directors.

Out of 45, ten experts will be hired as Joint Secretaries while the rest will be ‘absorbed’ into the ranks of directors or deputy secretaries across ministries including finance, electronics, agriculture, environment, and renewable energy.

Notably, the lateral entry in governance was introduced about five years ago to bring in professionals from outside the traditional civil services.

At least 12 professionals with expertise in respective sectors were inducted into government service in 2019 and 2021, out of which eight to nine are still serving in senior positions, said some reports.

In the last few years, a total of 63 appointments have reportedly been made through lateral entry out of which 35 were sourced from the private sector.

The Opposition has accused the government of belittling the country’s ‘steel frame’ while also undermining the reservation system.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that it was a deliberate attempt by the BJP to sideline lower castes including SCs, STs and OBCs.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)