Modi govt set to appoint 9 lateral entrants as joint secretaries by June-end

The experts shortlisted by UPSC for lateral entry will undergo a 3-week training programme at the Indian Institute of Public Administration.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) headquarters in New Delhi | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

New Delhi: The new Narendra Modi government is all set to formally recruit the nine private sector experts selected by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as lateral entrants to the civil service bureaucracy.

While it is still not clear when exactly the recruits will be formally appointed, one of the nine shortlisted candidates said the appointment is expected to take place around the end of June.

“The approvals and clearances are needed from the PMO and the Appointments Committee. After that, the formal recruitment will happen,” the selected candidate said on the condition of anonymity.

Once they are given their appointment letters, the nine individuals are expected to undergo a three-week training programme conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), an official from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) told ThePrint.

“The candidates don’t really need training in the subject, since they are experts in their domains. However, the IIPA will provide them an orientation on the basic functioning of the government,” the official said.

The IIPA is the government wing that provides training to civil servants and personnel.

Why lateral entry was introduced

In a bid to introduce fresh talent in the civil service, as well as to address the shortage of IAS officers, the Modi government in its previous tenure had announced that it would recruit domain experts into 10 central ministries at the rank of joint secretary.

The UPSC subsequently selected nine candidates on the basis of their written applications and interviews, and recommended them to the government in April.

Given the possibility of a government change at the Centre, the fate of the nine selected candidates was uncertain for some time. However, with the NDA coming back to power with an overwhelming majority, the government is already working on the formal appointment and training of these individuals.