Union Minister Chirag Paswan has expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing concerns regarding the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) recent advertisement for lateral entry into senior government positions.
Following substantial criticism from opposition parties and pressure from ally Chirag Paswan, the Centre has asked the UPSC to retract its advertisement seeking “talented and motivated Indian nationals” for high-ranking roles such as Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary across 24 ministries. This decision marks a reversal of the initial move, which was met with backlash from various quarters.
Paswan, who had previously voiced strong reservations about the lack of reservation provisions in the proposed recruitment, thanked PM Modi for understanding the concerns of SC/ST and OBC communities. In a press conference, Paswan stated, “I appreciate that Prime Minister Modi understood the concerns of the SC/ST and backward classes. My party, LJP (Ram Vilas), and I are grateful to him.”
The advertisement, which aimed to fill 45 senior posts, faced severe criticism from the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). These parties alleged that the initiative was a tactic to appoint individuals linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and diminish opportunities for disadvantaged groups.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the move, arguing that while the UPA government introduced lateral entry to include experts in specific fields, the NDA government was using it to undermine the rights of Dalits, tribals, and other backward classes.
In response, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw accused the Congress of hypocrisy, pointing out that the lateral entry concept was originally developed under the UPA regime.
