New Delhi

The Centre is in consultation with the stakeholders on requirements and impact of lateral entry recruitment, a top government official said on Tuesday.

Lateral recruitment in the central government has been undertaken since 2018 to appoint persons for specific assignments, including those from the private sector, keeping in view their specialised knowledge and expertise in the domain area.

Addressing a presser, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Secretary Rachna Shah said almost 60 officers were taken under the lateral entry in three installments -- at the level of Joint Secretary and Deputy Secretary/Director -- and almost 38 to 40 of them are continuing and contributing in various ministries and departments.

Shah said that "we are in consultation and discussion with the stakeholder ministries and departments".

Asked if the government was considering forming new rules and procedures on lateral entry recruitment, she said if something comes up in the course of consultation with the ministries and departments, and if there are any requirements on making some modifications and review of the scheme, then that can certainly be done.

"So, we are right now engaging with the ministries and departments to see the impact of this initiative and also their requirements," Shah said, during the press conference on the year-end achievements of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension.

Following a communique from the central government, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had in August last year cancelled its 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.

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The Commission had, on August 17, 2024. issued a notification for the recruitment to 45 posts -- 10 of joint secretaries and 35 of directors or deputy secretaries -- through lateral entry.

The decision, however, 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).