The statements of Kharge and Gandhi came in the wake of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) advertisement for lateral recruitment in different Ministries at the level of Joint Secretary or Director/Deputy Secretary on contract basis.
The candidates appointed against the posts shall be placed at the beginning of the pay scale (level 14 of the Pay Matrix) applicable to regular government employees.
In an advertisement released on Sunday, the government invited applications from "talented and motivated Indian nationals" for 10 Joint Secretary-level posts through lateral entry.