Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Leaders Oppose UPSC Lateral Entry Scheme
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 20: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin has criticized the UPSC lateral entry recruitment scheme, calling it a direct assault on social justice. He emphasized the need for a caste census to ensure basic rights for backward classes.
In a post on social media platform X, Stalin outlined steps to uphold social justice and safeguard reservation. He stated, “Lateral Entry is a direct assault on social justice, depriving meritorious SC, ST, OBC and minority officers of their deserved opportunities at the top. The Union Government must halt this practice, prioritize filling backlog vacancies for OBCs & SC/STs, and ensure fair and equitable promotions.”
Stalin also demanded the complete abolition of the creamy layer, a concept he has always opposed. He added, “In the meantime, the stagnant ceiling for the Creamy Layer must be raised without any further delay.”
Highlighting the significance of the caste census, Stalin said, “Above all, a nationwide Caste Census is imperative to guarantee that educational and job opportunities are justly distributed to all backward and oppressed sections of our society, who have been historically denied their rightful share.”
Union Minister Chirag Paswan also reacted to the UPSC lateral recruitment scheme, stating that his party did not agree with how these posts had been advertised without considering reservations. Paswan said, “The first thing is that the government’s thinking is completely in support of reservation. The Prime Minister’s thinking is in support of reservation. My party and I do not agree with how direct recruitment for some posts has been demanded, in which reservations have not been taken into consideration, we are completely against this.”
Paswan emphasized the need to follow reservation provisions in government appointments and promised to raise a strong voice on this issue. He said, “Wherever there are government appointments, the provisions of reservation must be followed. The way reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs have been going on in government jobs, it is mandatory to keep it in mind in every appointment.”
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also opposed the lateral entry scheme, calling it an attack on Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis. He wrote on social media platform X, “Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis. BJP’s distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from Bahujans.”
The UPSC recently invited applications for 45 mid-level posts, including joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries, through lateral entry, which has sparked opposition from various leaders.
Doubts Revealed
Tamil Nadu -: Tamil Nadu is a state in the southern part of India. It is known for its rich culture, temples, and the Tamil language.
Chief Minister -: A Chief Minister is the head of the government in an Indian state. They are responsible for running the state and making important decisions.
MK Stalin -: MK Stalin is the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is a leader of the political party called DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam).
UPSC -: UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It is an organization in India that conducts exams to recruit people for various government jobs.
Lateral Entry Scheme -: The Lateral Entry Scheme allows people from outside the government to join mid-level positions in the government. This is different from the usual way of joining through exams.
Social Justice -: Social justice means making sure everyone is treated fairly and has equal opportunities, especially those who are disadvantaged.
Caste Census -: A caste census is a survey that collects information about the different castes in India. This helps in understanding the population and planning for their needs.
Creamy Layer -: The creamy layer refers to the wealthier and more educated members of the OBC (Other Backward Classes) who are not eligible for certain government benefits meant for the less privileged.
SC, ST, OBC -: SC stands for Scheduled Castes, ST stands for Scheduled Tribes, and OBC stands for Other Backward Classes. These are groups of people in India who have been historically disadvantaged and are given special benefits to help them.
Minority Officers -: Minority officers are government employees who belong to minority communities, such as Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, etc.
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a member of the central government in India who is in charge of a specific department or ministry.
Chirag Paswan -: Chirag Paswan is an Indian politician and a member of the Lok Janshakti Party. He is also a Union Minister.
Congress MP -: A Congress MP is a Member of Parliament from the Indian National Congress party, which is one of the major political parties in India.
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress party. He is a Member of Parliament and has been involved in Indian politics for many years.
Reservations -: Reservations in India are a system where a certain percentage of government jobs and educational seats are set aside for people from disadvantaged groups like SC, ST, and OBC.