The Modi government’s lateral entry initiative, launched to bring private sector and academic expertise into policymaking, is now poised for a reset as the government is now moving cautiously on the next
phase. The recruitment process would be ‘recalibrated’ with ‘further inclusivity’ and the advertisement will be published based on the requisition for domain experts from relevant ministries, News18 has learnt.
The top brass at the government has further directed that the domain experts should only be used for value addition, policy formulation and to work around the subject of their expertise, while they may be excused from doing the regular bureaucratic works like responding to Parliament questions and others, said a senior officer involved in the process.
With 67 lateral entry officers already in several phases of their service, the government is likely to launch a fourth phase of lateral entry, but through a fresh procedure. Sources in the government said that the recruitment framework is now being ‘realigned’, and fresh inductions may take a different shape, with ministries expected to seek domain experts through targeted requisitions rather than one-size-fits-all advertisements. The immediate question before the government is not whether more specialists will be inducted, but how they will be hired in the next phase.
‘Recalibration’ work in progress
So far, a total of 67 professionals have entered government through three rounds of lateral entry since 2018, serving at the levels of joint secretary (JS), director (DS), and deputy secretary. The applicatns included experts from the market and officers from the PSUs (Publis Sector Units). They are deployed across critical ministries, working on areas ranging from infrastructure and finance to digital governance and energy transition.
The planned advertisement for 45 new positions at JS and DS levels was dropped in August, 2024 after issues related to reservation were raised. Instead of pressing ahead, the government has chosen to recalibrate the rules. According to senior officers, this involves framing a clearer recruitment architecture that can balance constitutional obligations with the need to induct outside talent.
This recalibration could reshape the way new appointments are made. A senior officer said that the government may encourage ministries to raise specific requisitions based on sectoral needs, instead of issuing large centralised advertisements for dozens of posts. That would make recruitment more flexible, targeted, and aligned with emerging national priorities.
He further added that this approach would keep the pipeline for new experts open. Ministries dealing with cutting-edge areas such as climate transition, artificial intelligence, fintech, aviation, or health systems can continue to seek domain specialists on demand. This would also allow the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to process recruitments in a more streamlined manner, with rules that are transparent and legally sound.
The broader intent behind lateral entry however remains unchanged, which is aimed to enrich governance by combining the administrative depth of the career bureaucracy with the specialist knowledge of professionals from outside. The recalibration, therefore, marks not a retreat but a transition to a more sustainable model.
