UPSC withdraws recruitment ad

New Delhi: The UPSC on Tuesday cancelled its latest advertisement to fill key posts in government departments through lateral entry, amid a political row over the lack of a reservation provision for those positions. The move came after Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairperson Preeti Sudan to cancel the advertisement, so that marginalised communities get their rightful representation in government services.

The commission had, on August 17, issued a notification for the recruitment of 45 posts -- 10 of joint secretaries and 35 of directors or deputy secretaries -- through lateral entry, which is referred to as the appointment of specialists (including those from the private sector) in government departments.

It was one of the biggest tranches of lateral recruitment announced by the commission.

The decision had ignited criticism from the opposition parties, which claimed that it undermined the reservation rights of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Union Minister Chirag Paswan, the head of BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), had also said the proposed recruitment was a “matter of concern” for him and that he would take up the matter with the Centre.