LATERAL ENTRY IN BUREAUCRACY

LATERAL ENTRY IN BUREAUCRACY

WHY IN NEWS?

India’s recent advertisement for lateral entry into the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for 45 posts without reservation has reignited the debate on balancing merit and social justice in civil services recruitment.

WHAT IS LATERAL ENTRY?

• Lateral entry is intended to bring specialized expertise into the civil services, enhancing the quality of policy formulation and implementation.
• For instance, professionals from the private sector, academia, or non-governmental organizations can introduce innovative approaches to tackle complex governance issues.

EFFECTIVENESS OF LATERAL ENTRY

• Proponents argue that lateral entry can bring fresh perspectives and specialized knowledge, which are essential for modern governance.
• Critics, however, contend that without reservation, lateral entry could exclude marginalized groups from participating in decision-making processes, thus undermining social justice.

ASSOCIATED CHALLENGES

• Despite its benefits, lateral entry poses challenges in terms of representation, particularly for marginalized communities such as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
• Marginalized communities often face systemic barriers, such as limited access to education and professional opportunities, which hinder their ability to compete for specialised roles.

CONCLUSION

• Balancing the need for specialized expertise in civil services with the imperative of ensuring representation of marginalized communities is a complex but necessary task.
• Addressing potential drawbacks with transparency and clear communication will further help in aligning the goals of merit and social justice in government recruitment processes.