lateral entry in UPSC
Lateral entry into civil services through UPSC refers to the appointment to senior positions in the Central Government by professionals and experts who do not clear the UPSC examination but come directly from the private sector, academia or public sector undertakings through a common interview process.
UPSC In Purpose of Lateral Entry
The primary purpose of lateral entry into the civil services is to bring expertise and professional knowledge into government decision-making processes. Traditional civil servants usually specialize in general administrative tasks , but some specific sectors, such as health , education , environment , or technological development, require in-depth expertise. In such cases , it may be beneficial to hire professionals who have already worked in these fields and have the necessary knowledge and experience.
UPSC Lateral Entry Notification
On 17 August,2024 UPSC release a notification to recruits for Senior level post like Joint Secretary and Director level post through lateral Enrty. You can see the detailed information about these posts. For the notification, you can click this link, which is provided given below.
Click Here to Download the Lateral Entry UPSC Notification
UPSC Lateral Entry Eligibility
Under lateral entry in UPSC , professionals are generally selected for higher positions such as Joint Secretary , Director , or Deputy Secretary. These positions are those that play a vital role in policy making and implementation . On August 17, 2024, UPSC released the notification for lateral entry to senior positions (Joint Secretary and Director/Deputy Secretary level officers) in the Government of India. The eligibility criteria for UPSC lateral entry are as follows:
Postgraduate degree in Technology, Management, Public Policy, Development Studies, Economics, Liberal Arts or Law from any University or Institute.
Additionally, 15 years of work experience in the technical field is also required.
UPSC Lateral Entry Age Limit
The age limit for UPSC lateral entry posts generally ranges from 40 to 55 years, although this may vary depending on the specific role and requirements mentioned in the recruitment notification. For the post of Joint Secretary, the Minimum age is 40 years and maximum age is 55 years. For Director post, Minimum age 35 years and Maximum age 45 years. For Deputy Secretary Post, Minimum age 32 years and Maximum age 40 years. For the Candidates, who are interested to apply these post, there age should be within limit to be considered eligible. For posts to be filled through UPSC lateral entry, the age limit is specified by UPSC as follows:
| UPSC Lateral Entry Post | Age LIMIT |
| Joint Secretary | Minimum 40 and maximum Age – 55 |
| Director | minimum Age – 35 and up Age -45 |
| Deputy Secretary | minimum Age- 32 and up Age -40 |
UPSC Lateral Entry Vacancies
UPSC has announced 45 vacancies through lateral entry. These are senior posts in the Government of India, including vacancies at the Joint Secretary and Director level. Interested candidates can apply by visiting the official website of UPSC or using the link given below in this article.
Click here to apply Lateral Entry in UPSC
How to apply for lateral entry in UPSC ?
If a candidate,who are interested in applying for lateral entry into UPSC civil services, the process for apply is given below.
- Visit the official web portal of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
- You will get the link for one-time registration on the homepage.
- Complete the OTR process.
- Fill the complete application form.
- Attach the required documents with it and submit them.
- Complete the payment of registration/application fee.
- Keep a copy of the application form safe for further action.
- Applications received through any other mode will not be accepted and will be summarily rejected.
- Candidates are required to upload the documents or certificates in support of each claim made by them in the application such as Date of Birth, Educational Qualification, Experience, Desirable Qualifications etc. or any other information in separate PDF file against each claim in such a manner that the file size does not exceed 1 MB for respective module and 2 MB for “Upload other Documents” module and is legible on taking printout.
- For this purpose, the applicant can scan the documents/certificates in 200 dpi grey scale.
The major impact of lateral entry is that it can help bridge the gap between policy formulation and its implementation. Incorporating expertise and practical experience into the government system can make policies more effective and practical. For example , inducting an experienced doctor or health expert into the Ministry of Health , or appointing a technical expert into the Ministry of Information Technology , can make policy formulation in these areas more efficient.
