Lateral entry involves the recruitment of professionals in government agencies from the private domain. In June of 2020, the Ministry of Personnel invited submissions for joint secretary roles via the lateral entry mode in the divisions of revenue, financial services, economic affairs, agriculture and farmers’ welfare, road and highway transport, shipping, ecology, forest and climate change, modern and renewable energies, civil aviation and trade. In reference to their advertising, the government generated over 6,000 submissions. The UPSC, which declared the results, was assigned the task of choosing applicants.
To clearly understand lateral entry meaning in UPSC, read the section below.
What is Lateral Entry?
The word Lateral Entry refers to the recruitment of experts in government agencies, primarily those from the private industry. Government seeks excellent people with experience in revenue, financial services, industrial relations, agriculture, cooperation and the welfare of producers, road and highway transportation, tourism, ecosystem, plantations and global warming, modern and sustainable energies, civil aviation and trade.
Benefits of Lateral Entry in UPSC
Complexity
Governance, which involves advanced expertise, is becoming increasingly and quite challenging. It is not necessarily realistic to expect a generalist officer to be ready with advanced expertise. Consequently, to manage the dynamic demands of current administrative problems, people with experience and specialized domain expertise are needed.
Lacking of IAS Officers
There is a shortfall of around 1500 IAS officers, as per reports from the Department of Staff and Preparation. Lateral entrance is going to help close the void.
Cultural Organisation
It will really contribute to taking in about the transformation in the workplace environment in the culture of the government sector. It would help to put fiscal, productivity and efficiency principles into the government sector. It would help to create a successful atmosphere within the government domain
Civil Services and Liberalisation
The Civil Services Generalist was planned for a phase when the State was in power. Markets also played a vital role in government since economic reforms in 1991. The legislative is in the power of the authority in such a scenario. It is important, based on the speed expertise of managers who need new private domain uptake.
Governance Participatory
Governance is becoming more interactive and multi-stakeholder in the modern century, so lateral inclusion offers an incentive for stakeholders such as the private field and non-profits to engage in the governance framework.
The Challenges Involved in Lateral Entry in Civil Services
Need for Transparent Process
Again, the secret to the efficacy of this system will be to choose the best candidates in a way that is manifestly clear. The constitutional position of the UPSC should not be overlooked, as it will give credibility to the overall recruitment process.
The Difference in Organisational Values
Value structures are very different between both the government and the private sector. It is necessary to ensure that the individuals who step in are able to transition to a radically new way of working. It is because the government has its own limits.
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Profit Motive vs. Public Service
The strategy of the private sector is valued, on the other hand, the purpose of the government is the government entity. This is also a profound change that a worker in the private sector must make when serving in government.
Internal Resistance
Lateral entry is ready to encounter heavy opposition from civil servants and their organisations. Reports are already available
Constitutional Mandate for affirmative Action
On the constitutional mandate for affirmative action as a result of the creation of a new recruitment channel at a senior level
Issue of Conflict of Interest
Private sector movements pose questions of a perceived conflict of interest. This problem includes a clear code of ethics for private sector entrants to ensure that conflict of interest is not harmful to the public benefit.
Narrow Scope
Lateral entry at the top level alone policy-making roles can have little effect on the execution of the field level, considering the various ties in the chain of command between the Government of the Union and the remote village.
Lack of Specific Criteria
The requirements set out in the advertising were wide-ranging and thus did not include a narrow window for recruiting famous individuals or experts to the fields promoted.
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Some Suggestions
- There is a need for a rigorous training curriculum for private sector applicants to public services to assist them to appreciate the dynamic nature of work in government.
- Free competition for Lateral entry should be created, with due accountability in the system, with all required checks and balances to ensure that people with honesty and political neutrality join the government sector.
- Lateral entry, as in the past, should not be deemed an acceptable model of manpower preparation on an individual basis. There is also a need to institutionalise the mechanism of drawing outside expertise to the government.
UPSC Joint Secretary Lateral Entry – UPSC Lateral Entry Notification 2021
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for lateral recruiting of vacancies at the rank of the Joint Secretary and Director. Applicants wanting to apply for the same will do so on the UPSC Online site.
The official note quotes, “The Government of India has sent a proposal for Lateral Recruitment of Joint Secretary and Level Director Officers. Online applications are then welcomed by skilled and inspired Indian citizens eager to commit to the development of a country to serve the Government at the rank of the Joint Secretary or Director.”
The last date for applying for the above-mentioned posts is 22 March 2021. Candidates must remember that they will be employed on a contractual basis for a term of 3 years and can be increased to 5 years on the basis of the success of the applicants.
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UPSC Lateral Entry – Participating Ministries or Departments
- Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Civil Aviation
- Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
- Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
- Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education
UPSC Lateral Entry Eligibility – UPSC Lateral Entry Notification 2021
Applicants with a minimum of 15 years of experience with the Joint Secretary and 10 years of experience with Director-level roles are required to apply, the UPSC claimed in the commercial. Employees of the Central Government are not entitled to apply for these posts, it added.
For Joint Secretaries the maximum age limit required is 45 years and for Director posts, the candidates up to the age of 35 years are eligible
Conclusion
In 2018, the government had announced that the lateral entry would serve the dual function of bringing in domain experience in civil services and resolving the issue of the lack of IAS officers at the Central, but it said that no further arrangements were made to hire joint secretaries through this mechanism previously.
We hope we were successful in helping you out with this blog. Prepare for this wisely and don’t forget the important dates.
Best of luck!
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