Not a panacea

The union government's attempt to recruit joint and deputy secretaries through lateral entry holds little significance in curing the ills of governance

- ALOK RANJAN

The issue of lateral entry has attracted a lot of discussion and controversy in the last few days, following the UPSC's advertisement for recruiting specialists for 45 posts at Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary/Director levels in the Government of India. The decision came under a strong attack from opposition parties, the government's own allies, and Independent thinkers for not providing for reservation for these posts. Initially, the government defended its decision but subsequently cancelled the advertisement and professed its commitment to social justice. In all matters of direct recruitment to the Government of India, reservations must be provided. Lateral entry is a form of direct recruitment. If more and more people are recruited in this manner, then it would undermine the policy of reservation. I believe that the government has taken the right step by rolling back the advertisement.

Reservation is indeed a major issue, but this crucial intervention of lateral entry needs a thorough examination before the government ventures into it. The important question is about the rationale behind lateral entry. What problem in the current system of governance is lateral entry trying to solve? Proponents argue that lateral entry would infuse new blood and fresh ideas from outside the system, making it more rigorous and vibrant, ultimately leading to better results and higher performance. Their argument is that they are facing a disruptive technological environment that requires domain specialisation. It is felt that IAS officers or other civil service officers lack specialised knowledge, which is acting as a barrier to effective and forward-looking governance.