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

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

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

Direct link to check UPSC notification 

UPSC Lateral Entry: Specialised Roles Across Key Ministries

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

Or ministries with vertised vacancies include 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 Ministry of Home Affairs. vacancies in shipping and environment ministries are a result of term expiration of officers previously hired through lateral entry.

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

ditionally, 35 director and deputy secretary positions have been announced. se roles cover a range of specialized fields including climate change, soil conservation, credit, natural farming, organic farming, water management in agriculture ministry, commodity pricing in consumer affairs department, and insolvency and bankruptcy in corporate affairs ministry. 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. deline for applications is September 17.

Opposition Criticizes Lateral Entry System

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

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