Cong's criticism of lateral entry in bureaucracy shows hypocrisy: Vaishnaw

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the Congress' criticism of the lateral entry system in senior bureaucracy shows its "hypocrisy", and asserted that the BJP-led NDA government has created a transparent method to implement the concept developed by the UPA dispensation.

In a post on X, Vaishnaw said the reform measure implemented by the NDA government will improve governance. "INC (Indian National Congress) hypocrisy is evident on lateral entry matter. It was the UPA government which developed the concept of lateral entry," he said.

He said the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC), chaired by Veerappa Moily, was established in 2005 by the then Congress-led UPA government.

"UPA period ARC recommended recruitment of experts to fill the gaps in roles that require specialised knowledge," Vaishnaw said.

The minister said the NDA government has created a transparent method to implement the recommendation made by the ARC helmed by Moily.

Vaishnaw said recruitment for the lateral entry will be done through the Union Public Service Commission in a transparent and fair manner.

Sources said the lateral entry scheme was formally introduced during Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi's tenure, driven by the recognition of the need for domain experts to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of India's administrative machinery.

In 2018, the government took a significant step by announcing vacancies for senior positions such as joint secretaries and directors, marking the first time that professionals from both the private and public sectors were invited to apply for these high-level roles, they said.

The sources said the selection process was rigorous, emphasising candidates' qualifications, experience and suitability for these strategic positions.

This initiative was deeply influenced by the recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, which had earlier laid the conceptual groundwork for lateral entry, the sources said.

They said the recruitment of joint secretaries in 2018 effectively operationalised the ARC's vision, demonstrating a commitment to integrating specialised skills from outside the traditional civil service framework.

"These reforms have continued to influence ongoing discussions about how best to modernise India's public administration, ensuring it meets the evolving demands of governance in the 21st century," the sources said.