Chirag Paswan Welcomes Govt’s Withdrawal of Lateral Entry Advertisement

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 20th August. In a significant policy reversal, the Centre has requested the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to withdraw its advertisement for lateral entry into the bureaucracy. This move follows intense opposition criticism and pressure from ally Chirag Paswan, who had expressed reservations about the process.

The advertisement, issued last week, sought “talented and motivated Indian nationals” for lateral recruitment to senior positions, including Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary across 24 ministries. A total of 45 posts were advertised.

Chirag Paswan, Union Minister and leader of LJP (Ram Vilas), had voiced strong objections, stating that reservation provisions must apply to all government appointments. He emphasized that reservations are crucial to ensuring equitable representation in government jobs. “I am happy that my Prime Minister Modiji understood the concerns of SC/ST and backward people. My party and I thank PM Modi,” Paswan said in a press conference in Patna, Bihar.

The move had been heavily criticized by the Congress and other opposition parties. They accused the BJP of using lateral entry as a mechanism to sideline disadvantaged classes and favor its ideological allies, particularly the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders alleged that the policy was a “conspiracy” to undermine the rights of Dalits, tribals, and backward classes.

Congress also claimed that while the UPA government introduced lateral entry to appoint select experts, the current NDA government is misusing it to further its agenda. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded to the criticism, asserting that the concept of lateral entry was indeed developed under the UPA government, but the current opposition’s stance reveals their “hypocrisy.”

With the withdrawal of the advertisement, the focus will now shift to how future appointments will be managed to balance expertise with adherence to reservation principles.