UPSC Lateral Entry Recruitment: Largest-ever 45 Vacancies Notified, Opposition Demands Reservation

UPSC Lateral Entry Drive: In the largest recruitment drive since the inception of lateral entry in 2019, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the opening of 45 mid-level positions across various ministries and departments. These posts, aimed at bringing in specialist talent from outside the traditional civil service, include roles at the level of joint secretary, director, and deputy secretary. The move is part of the government's ongoing efforts to inject expertise into the administration.

So far, 63 appointments have been made through lateral entry over the past five years, with 57 such officers currently serving in various ministries, according to information presented to the Rajya Sabha on August 8.

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UPSC Lateral Entry: Specialised Roles Across Key Ministries

The latest UPSC notification invites applications for 10 joint secretary positions, with special focus on emerging fields. Notably, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is seeking specialists for the roles of joint secretary in 'emerging technologies' and 'semiconductor and electronics'—a clear indication of the government’s prioritization of high-tech sectors. Similarly, the Ministry of Finance is looking to fill joint secretary positions focusing on FinTech, cyber security, and investment.

Other ministries with advertised vacancies include the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The vacancies in the shipping and environment ministries are a result of the term expiration of officers previously hired through lateral entry.

Applicants for the joint secretary positions must have at least 15 years of relevant experience and be between the ages of 40 and 55 years. The positions offer a gross salary of approximately Rs 2.7 lakh per month and will be on a contract basis for three years, with the possibility of extension to five years based on performance.

Additionally, 35 director and deputy secretary positions have been announced. These roles cover a range of specialized fields including climate change, soil conservation, credit, natural farming, organic farming, water management in the agriculture ministry, commodity pricing in the consumer affairs department, and insolvency and bankruptcy in the corporate affairs ministry. The education ministry also seeks two directors to handle education laws and technology.

Director candidates must have at least 10 years of experience and be between 35 and 45 years old, while deputy secretary candidates require a minimum of seven years of experience and should be aged between 32 and 40 years. The deadline for applications is September 17.

Opposition Criticizes Lateral Entry System

The announcement has sparked a sharp backlash from opposition parties, who argue that the lateral entry system undermines the reservation system that protects opportunities for marginalized communities. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge took to social media, accusing the government of a "double attack" on reservations, claiming that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is deliberately circumventing the reservation system through such recruitment processes.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav also criticized the move, labeling it a "dirty joke" on the reservation system and the Constitution. He pointed out that if these 45 posts were filled through the traditional civil services examination, nearly half would have been reserved for candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).