‘PM Modi has shown commitment to…’: Vaishnaw on UPSC lateral entry ad rollback

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reaffirmed his commitment to the Constitution drafted by BR Ambedkar by implementing reservation principles in Union Public Service Commission lateral entry.

Prime Minister Modi has consistently demonstrated his commitment to social justice, leading to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) being granted constitutional status, he said.

Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned that under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the government has ensured that reservation principles are applied to admissions in NEET, Sainik Schools, and various other institutions.

“PM Modi ensured that Babasaheb Ambedkar’s five sacred places are given their proper status. We are also proud that the President of India comes from a tribal community,” Vaishnaw told ANI.

He said that under PM Modi’s principles of saturation, which aim to reach every welfare programme to the poorest and most marginalised sections of society, the SC, ST, and OBC communities have received the maximum benefits.

“Before 2014, the decisions of the Congress government had no focus on reservation principles. Finance secretaries were inducted through lateral entry and reservation principle was not taken into consideration. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia entered service through the lateral entry route,” said Vaishnaw.

PM Modi viewed lateral entry through UPSC as a means to introduce transparency and by incorporating the principle of reservation, it now clearly reflects a commitment to social justice, claimed the Union minister.

Centre asks UPSC to cancel lateral entry advertisements

The Centre earlier asked the UPSC to withdraw the latest advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy, amid a row over reservation in the advertised posts.

Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Preeti Sudan and asked her to cancel the advertisement so that marginalised communities get their rightful representation in government services.

The UPSC had on August 17 issued a notification for recruiting 45 joint secretaries, directors and deputy secretaries through lateral entry -- referred to as appointment of specialists (including those from the private sector) in government departments.

The decision had ignited criticism from opposition parties, which claimed it undermined the reservation rights of OBCs, SCs and STs.