New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to revoke an advertisement by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the recruitment of joint-secretary-level officers and other significant roles via the lateral entry route.
This directive, communicated through a letter from Union Minister Jitendra Singh to UPSC Chairperson Preeti Sudan, signifies a notable change in the method of appointing senior officials to key ministries such as finance and electronics.
The government initiated lateral hiring for joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries in 2018. A Lok Sabha response on 24 July stated that there have been 63 such appointments to date, with 35 individuals coming from the private sector. Presently, 57 appointees are actively serving in their respective ministries or departments.
In the letter, Singh highlighted that the lateral entry scheme received backing from the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in 2005 and was advocated by the Sixth Pay Commission in 2013.
He mentioned that this approach started under the Congress-led UPA government, with significant placements, including Nandan Nilekani as the head of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), being made in this manner.
