Shashi Tharoor comes out in support of Modi's lateral entry scheme despite Congress opposition

"My position on lateral entry is that it is an indispensable method for the government to acquire expertise which it otherwise lacks, in specific areas of specialisation for which there are no qualified persons already in government service. In the short term, it remains unavoidable. In the long-term, what is needed is for government officers, recruited under the existing rules, including applicable reservations, to be trained in the necessary specialisations needed by the government," he posted on X.

The government Tuesday requested the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to withdraw its advertisement for lateral entry into bureaucracy, amid intense opposition criticism and pressure from ally Chirag Paswan, who had also expressed reservations against the move.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that the "move should be aligned with social justice", Union Minister Jitender Singh wrote in a letter to the UPSC chief.

UPSC last week issued an advertisement seeking "talented and motivated Indian nationals" for lateral recruitment to various senior positions within the Union government.

These positions included Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary in 24 ministries, with a total of 45 posts up for grabs.

"While most of the major lateral entries before 2014 were made in an ad-hoc manner, including cases of alleged favouritism, efforts of our government have been to make the process institutionally driven, transparent and open," the minister's letter read.

"The Prime Minister is of the firm belief that the process of lateral entry must be aligned with the principles of equity and social justice enshrined in our Constitution, particularly concerning the provisions of reservation."

Lateral entry into the bureaucracy refers to recruitments from outside traditional government service cadres, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), to fill mid and senior-level positions in government departments.

The move triggered a debate on lateral entry into bureaucracy, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi denouncing the process as an "attack on Dalits".

The ruling BJP countered by pointing out that the concept emerged under a Congress-led government.

Even Union Minister Chirag Paswan, the BJP's Bihar ally, echoed the criticism.

However, Paswan has welcomed the retraction of the move, saying it showed the government cared about people's concerns.

"Since the time the lateral entry issue came to my notice, I raised it in front of concerned authorities at different places. I presented the concerns of SC/ST and backward people regarding this issue to the Prime Minister. For the past two days, I have been in touch with the PM and his office. He held in-depth discussions with me and I submitted relevant documents to his office. In all kinds of government appointments, rules of reservation should be followed by the government," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

"I am happy that my Prime Minister Modi understood the concerns of SC/ST and backward people. My party and I thank PM Modi," he added.