On Tuesday, the Centre directed Preeti Sudan, Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), to withdraw the recent advertisement for lateral hiring at various government positions. The notification, published on Saturday, had sparked controversy. In an official communication, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh emphasized that while lateral hiring, including candidates from the private sector, was first introduced by the Congress-led government in 2005, Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes this process must align with the principles of equity and social justice as enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Following Singh’s letter, the UPSC promptly issued a press release, stating that the advertisement dated August 17 has been cancelled.
In his letter, Singh criticized the previous Congress governments, alleging that key positions, such as secretaries in various ministries and leadership roles at UIDAI, were filled through lateral entry without proper procedures. He further accused the National Advisory Council of running a “super-bureaucracy” that influenced the Prime Minister’s Office, leading to favoritism in appointments. Singh stated that the current government has worked to make the process more transparent, institutionally driven, and open.
Prime Minister Modi considers reservation in public employment a “cornerstone of our social justice framework,” Singh noted, stressing the importance of respecting the constitutional mandate to ensure proper representation of marginalized communities. He urged the UPSC to review and incorporate this provision in any future notifications, leading to the cancellation of the current advertisement.
Notably, the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party, both partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), also opposed the move, advocating for the inclusion of reservation provisions in government appointments. The UPSC had initially invited applications to fill 45 posts in central government offices on a contractual basis for three years.
The issue quickly escalated into a political battle between the Opposition and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the Opposition accusing the BJP of attempting to sidestep the reservation system, which ensures representation for OBCs, SCs, and STs in government institutions.
Reacting to the Centre’s latest directive, the Congress and other INDIA parties welcomed the decision but claimed that the government was compelled to retract the notice due to mounting pressure from the Opposition.
