The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently issued an advertisement for lateral recruitment, seeking "talented and motivated Indian nationals" to fill senior positions in the Union government. The recruitment drive targets 45 posts, including those of Joint Secretary, Director, and Deputy Secretary across 24 ministries. This announcement has reignited a debate over the practice of lateral entry into the bureaucracy, particularly after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the process. Rahul Gandhi's concerns were met with a counterargument from the BJP, which noted that the idea of lateral entry was originally introduced under a Congress-led government. The debate further escalated when Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Jitendra Singh instructed the UPSC to cancel the current advertisement, suggesting a potential reevaluation of the recruitment approach. At the Adani_BTIndia@100 Summit, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram weighed in, acknowledging that while the concept of lateral entry has its merits, it must not sidestep social affirmative programs. He supported the inclusion of eminent global experts but opposed bringing mid to senior-level managers into government roles without ensuring adherence to these social programs.