The Central Government has decided to cancel the practice of direct appointments of officers in top government positions following widespread opposition. The decision comes after protests erupted against the government’s move to appoint 45 Joint Secretaries, Directors, and Deputy Secretaries in various central departments on a contract basis through lateral entry.
Opponents of the practice, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and members of the INDIA alliance, argued that lateral entry appointments undermined the reservation system and deprived marginalized communities of their rightful opportunities.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also condemned the practice, calling it an “assault on social justice.” Other political leaders, such as Chirag Paswan from the NDA alliance and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), also expressed their objections.
In response to the backlash, the Central Government announced today (August 20) that it would cancel the practice of direct appointments for these high-level positions.