A test case

Lateral entries into the civil service should be welcomed

Globalisation has made the business of governance an increasingly complex activity, demanding specialist skills and knowledge like never before. The government’s lateral entry scheme, enabling applicants in the private sector to apply for 10 joint secretary posts in different departments, is a sensible first step towards accessing a wider talent pool. So far, nine candidates have been selected by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the government’s recruiting arm, for ministries ranging from civil aviation, agriculture, finance and shipping to the “new age” ministries of renewable energy and environment, forests and climate change.

This direct induction of private sector experts into