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Over a year after govt withdrew ads for 45 posts, lateral entry hiring still in limbo

Asked about the status of the scheme and if lateral entry would be revived in 2026, Singh, at a press conference on Tuesday, chose to refer the question to DoPT Secretary Rachna Shah, saying the secretary would “fill in the gaps”.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 30, 2025 09:46 PM IST

The government had introduced the scheme in 2018 and subsequently hired experts in 2021 and 2023 as well. (Credit: Unsplash)

Over a year after the government asked the Union Public Service Commission to withdraw an advertisement for lateral entry to 45 posts, the lateral entry scheme for recruiting experts for government jobs remains in limbo, with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) still in “consultation” with ministries over the scheme.

The UPSC had on August 17, 2024 advertised 45 lateral entry posts, but just days later, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh on August 20 wrote to the UPSC chairperson asking for the advertisement to be cancelled. This was after the government received backlash, including from BJP’s ally LJP (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan, about the lack of reservations in the lateral entry scheme.

The MoS wrote that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “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”. The advertisement was cancelled that day.

Explained | Centre directs UPSC to withdraw ad for lateral entry into bureaucracy: Why has the policy been criticised?

Asked about the status of the scheme and if lateral entry would be revived in 2026, Singh, at a press conference on Tuesday, chose to refer the question to DoPT Secretary Rachna Shah, saying the secretary would “fill in the gaps”. Shah said about 60 officers had been recruited in three instalments of lateral entry and about 38-40 were still working in various ministries.

“In terms of what kinds of specialisations are required and the scheme, in terms of what the impact has been, we are in consultation with the stakeholder ministries and departments,” she said.

In June this year at another press conference, when asked about the status of the scheme, Singh had said: “We have not suspended it. I think it was started with a very noble intention and it was possible only because we had someone like Prime Minister Modi there.”

The government had introduced the scheme in 2018 and subsequently hired experts in 2021 and 2023 as well. Under the scheme, domain-specific and technical positions at the level of Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary were advertised. A total of 63 individuals had been appointed through lateral entry.

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At Tuesday’s press conference, the DoPT showcased its achievements in 2025. The MoS said: “The year was dedicated to governance reforms for ease-of-living.”

One change was that the DoPT shifted out of the historic North Block to the newly constructed Kartavya Bhawan. Singh said the government provided a work-friendly environment to the officers who are working on improving ease-of-living of the public.

Damini Nath

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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