The scheme was introduced in 2018 to hire experts for domain-specific and technical posts at the level of Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)Almost two years since the government put lateral entry recruitment on hold after facing demands for implementing reservation in the policy, Union Minister of State for Personnel and Training Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said “no feasible option” had been suggested to the Ministry, leaving the policy in limbo.Addressing a press conference on the achievements of the Ministry in the past 12 years, the Minister said he was at a loss as to how to implement reservation in standalone posts. Earlier in the press conference, DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training) Secretary Rachna Shah said a total of 63 lateral entry recruitments had been carried out, the last batch in 2023, as a part of the presentation on the achievements. Of those, about two-thirds of the officials were still working in those posts.Also Read | Centre directs UPSC to withdraw ad for lateral entry into bureaucracy: Why has the policy been criticised?After backlash, including from ally LJP (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan, over the lack of reservation, the government decided to withdraw an advertisement for 45 posts in August 2024.Asked about the status of the lateral entry policy, the Minister said: “Suddenly it came up that ‘you should have reservation’. So I’m at my wit’s loss how to go about it. You suggest how to go about it. These are standalone appointments. We tried our best, to the best of our wisdom, to the best of our effort to convince you…In principle, all over standalone posts don’t have this. But then there was so much of pressure from all sides and as this government is very open to inputs, we said ‘ok’. In the spirit of democracy we will go ahead as you wish, but suggest us some model. We are still talking, there is no feasible option given to us.”However, he added, there was “no order suspending the process”, though there hasn’t been any lateral entry recruitment for a while.The scheme was introduced in 2018 to hire experts for domain-specific and technical posts at the level of Joint Secretary, Director and Deputy Secretary. A total of 63 such hires were made in 2018, 2021 and 2023.Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More