BJP Ally Union Min Chirag Paswan Questions Centre’s Lateral Entry Move

New Delhi: Rift in the NDA government came to the fore on Monday as Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan questioned the Centre’s lateral entry move.

“Our party is absolutely not in support of this (scheme). This is completely wrong…The provision of reservations (for SCs, STs and OBCs) has to be there in all government appointments. There can be no ifs and buts about that,” Paswan said while answering a question related to UPSC advertisement to fill up 45 joint secretary, director and deputy secretary level posts (the highest tranche since 2018 when the scheme was first introduced) for lateral entry from private to public sector.

Paswan said he would raise the issue with the government. He added that since private sector had no reservations, government hiring without quotas was a matter of concern.

Lateral entry is for a contractual three-year job with extension to five years subject to performance. It is being opposed by the Opposition parties.

The Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have alleged the lateral entry policy as a design to fill key government positions with RSS people.

Lateral entry concept first surfaced under the Congress-led UPA-I government when the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) chaired by veteran Congress man Veerappa Moily in 2005 backed it stressing reforms within civil services and suggesting lateral entry in higher government positions that require special skills. ARC advocated merit-based selections for lateral entrants.