Lateral Entry in Civil Services

Why in news?

Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has been asked to prepare a proposition on lateral entries into civil services that deal with economy and infrastructure.

Was the idea mooted before?

• The first Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) had pointed out the need for specialization as far back as in 1965.
• The Surinder Nath Committee and the Hota Committee followed suit in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
• In 2005, the second ARC recommended an institutionalized, transparent process for lateral entry at both the Central and state levels.
• But pushback from bureaucrats, serving and retired, and the sheer institutional inertia of civil services that have existed largely unchanged for decades have prevented progress.

What is the need for lateral entry?

• The newly independent India had pressing concerns about the need for socioeconomic development, the demands of Central planning and the imperative of holding together a new nation.
• Thus, at that time, the civil services were seen as a tool for achieving these objectives.
• But, seven decades later, those dynamics have changed.
• A judicious combination of domain knowledge and relevant expertise is a critical requirement in governance.
• It is felt by many that these attributes are often not present in a cadre of generalists.
• The second ARC also envisaged a shift from a career-based approach to a postion-based approach for the top tier of government jobs.
• Also, given the sheer enormity of most government projects, good managerial talent is critical.
• ARC felt that civil servants ought to compete with domain experts from outside the regular civil service for senior positions.

What might be the negatives?

• Large-scale lateral induction would amount to a vote of no-confidence in the government personnel management system.
• It is also not clear how lateral entrants would be more performance-oriented and less process-compliant than the civil service, considering that process compliance is the prerequisite.
• The proposal for lateral entry at senior decision-making levels will increase the disconnect between policymaking and implementation.
• Also, the best talent can be attracted only if there is reasonable assurance of reaching top level managerial positions.
• Lastly, lateral entry would open the gates for a spoils system, drive talented people away from a civil service career.

Source: Live Mint & Business Standard