Should lateral entry in civil services be encouraged?

Following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, the issue of violence against healthcare workers has come to the forefront, with medical professionals across India demanding the enactment of a Central law to protect healthcare workers. In 2019, a Bill on this issue was drafted by the Central government, but it never saw the light of day. Can a Central law ensure security for healthcare professionals at work? Here we discuss the question. Guests: Ashok Vardhan Shetty, retired IAS officer from Tamil Nadu cadre and former vice-chancellor of the Indian Maritime University; Harsh Shrivastava, a former CEO of the Microfinance Institutions Network, deputy speechwriter to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a consultant in the Planning Commission Host: Priscilla Jebaraj Edited by Jude Francis Weston