UPSC Announces Lateral Recruitment of 45 Specialists, Opposition Slams Move

New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has unveiled a plan to recruit 45 specialists through lateral entry, drawing immediate criticism from the Opposition. The recruitment will involve hiring 10 Joint Secretaries and 35 Directors or Deputy Secretaries from the private sector, with salaries ranging from Rs 1.52 lakh to Rs 2.7 lakh. This move has been criticized by the Congress and RJD, who argue it undermines the reservation system.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the BJP government, alleging that the new recruitment plan is a deliberate attack on the reservation system. He questioned the absence of reservation for SC, ST, OBC, and EWS categories in the new appointments, claiming the BJP is systematically excluding these groups from government positions.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also criticized the move, describing it as an example of the Modi government’s disregard for the Constitution and reservation policies. He argued that if these positions were filled through civil service exams, a significant number of appointments would go to candidates from SC/ST/OBC categories, thus ensuring representation.

The UPSC advertisement lists the 10 Joint Secretary positions in various ministries, including Home, Finance, and Information Technology. The 35 Director/Deputy Secretary posts are distributed across ministries such as Agriculture, Law and Justice, Information and Broadcasting, and Civil Aviation.

The Opposition’s criticism highlights concerns about the impact of lateral entry on the representation of marginalized communities within the government.