Modi government's 6 U-turns before retracting lateral entry hiring order
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday instructed the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to retract a job advertisement issued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The ad, which was published on Sunday, sought applications for joint-secretary-level officers and other key positions through a lateral entry process. This decision came after criticism from opposition parties and some allies within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Lateral entry controversy explained
The UPSC had planned to fill 45 positions across various central ministries through lateral entry, either on a contract basis or via deputation. The recruitment process was set to span 24 ministries, including 10 joint secretary and 35 director/deputy secretary posts by September 17. However, this move sparked protests from opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Mayawati who criticized the government's policy for not providing reservations for SC, ST, and OBC candidates.
NDA allies oppose lateral entry recruitment
The Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party, two NDA allies, also voiced their opposition to the lateral entry recruitment plan. This led to the government retracting its decision. The opposition has seized on this reversal as an indication that the government is already in a "roll back" mode citing earlier instances of withdrawing budget announcements and shelving draft bills.
Opposition labels Modi 3.0 as 'weak'
The opposition has labeled the current government as "weak Modi 3.0," attributing this to the Bharatiya Janata Party's failure to secure a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and its reliance on allies to form an NDA government led by PM Modi. This "weakness" is impacting the decision-making within the government, opposition suggested. The opposition's Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance, which won over 230 seats in the elections, has emerged as a stronger opposition force against these policy reversals.
A look at other policy reversals by Modi government
The Modi government has a history of policy reversals. In August 2024, it withdrew the second draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024 following concerns raised by experts. The same month saw the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 being sent for wider scrutiny due to opposition from INDIA bloc parties. Additionally, in August 2022, the Data Protection Bill was rolled back after a parliamentary panel's review suggested 81 amendments necessitating a new "comprehensive legal framework."
