Today's Editorial

Centre asks UPSC to cancel lateral entry advertisement, says process to be reviewed to add quotas

Relevance: GS Paper II

Why in News?

Two days after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) issued advertisements for lateral recruitment into government service for the posts of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary levels, the government moved to cancel these planned recruitments, citing lack of quotas for SCs and STs. 

Government's Decision: 

• The Minister for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) wrote to the Chairperson of the UPSC, requesting the withdrawal of the advertisements and the cancellation of the lateral recruitment plans. 
• He emphasized the need to review recruitment norms to ensure they align with principles of equity and social justice.
• The letter acknowledges that provisions for reservations in the appointments were not present in the advertisements for the lateral recruitments, and hence these needed to be reviewed and reformed, and the current advertisements canceled. 

Opposition and Political Reactions: 

• The decision to recruit lateral entry was followed by protests from the Opposition and objections from the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally. 
• The opponents deemed entry into government service without reservations for SCs and STs "unacceptable."

Historical Context: 

• The DoPT Ministers letter highlighted that the concept of lateral entry was recommended by the Second Administrative Reforms Commission under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2005 and the Sixth Pay Commission in 2013. 
• However, he argued that under the current government such processes must be aligned with social justice principles.

Transparency and Social Justice: 

• The DoPT Minister criticized the previous UPA government for allegedly making ad hoc lateral entries without adhering to reservation policies. 
• Under earlier governments, posts as important as that of Secretary in various ministries, leadership of UIDAI [Unique Identification Authority of India] etc have been given to lateral entrants without following any process of reservations. 
• Further the members of the infamous National Advisory Council (NAC) used to run a super bureaucracy that used to control the Prime Minister’s Office.
• He asserted that the Modi government is committed to making the process transparent and ensuring that it upholds the constitutional principles of equity and social justice.
• The reservation in employment is a cornerstone of current government’s social justice framework, aimed at addressing historical injustices and promoting inclusivity.

Political Implications: 

• The government’s decision to halt the recruitment process may be a response to the backlash from the Opposition and a strategic move to prevent potential campaigns against the BJP, similar to those during the recent Lok Sabha elections. 
• During the elections, the Opposition accused the BJP of wanting to make fundamental changes to the Indian Constitution, especially concerning reservations in government jobs, which reportedly affected the BJP’s support in certain states.

Statements from Government Ministers: 

• The Law Minister emphasized that the decision to cancel the advertisements demonstrated the Prime Minister’s commitment to standing with SCs, STs, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). 
• The Information and Broadcasting Minister echoed this sentiment, stating that the decision reflects Prime Minister Modi’s dedication to the principles enshrined in the Constitution by Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Beyond Editorial: