EWS Reservation Eligibility – Know the Criteria to apply for the 10% Economically Weaker Section Quota Seats

EWS Reservation Eligibility – Know the Criteria to apply for the 10% Economically Weaker Section Quota Seats

The Central Government has recently introduced 10% reservation quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) among General Category candidates in government jobs and educational institutions. However, many are unsure about the EWS Reservation Eligibility.

If you are a deserving candidate from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), we truly wish you should not miss the EWS quota with respect to the seats in Government Jobs (like IAS, IPS etc) and Government institutes (like the IIMs and IITs).

Many candidates and even some bureaucrats are not aware of the newly introduced provisions. Read this post to know in detail about the criteria to be included in the EWS Quota.

Whether you are considered as Economically Weak or not, is based on the income and assets of your family.

The following are the criteria given by the Central government to determine the eligibility of EWS. To be classified under EWS, you will need to satisfy all the criteria listed below. 

1. Do you belong to General Category?

10% EWS reservation quota is given only for the General Category candidates. Other category candidates already have reservation benefits – OBC (27%), SC (15%), and ST (7.5%).

2. Is your family income below Rs.8 lakhs?

Persons who are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs and whose family has a gross annual income below Rs 8 lakh (Rupees eight lakh only) is to be identified as EWSs for benefit of reservation.

Income shall also include income from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession, etc. for the financial year prior to the year of application.

3. Is the agricultural land owned by your family less than 5 acres?

To be classified under EWS, your family should not own or possess agricultural land of size 5 acres or above.

4. Is the residential flat owned by your family less than 1000 sq.ft?

To be classified under EWS, your family should not own or possess a residential flat of area 1000 sq.feet or more.

5. Is the residential plot owned by your family less than 100 sq.yards (in notified municipalities)?

To be classified under EWS, your family should not own or possess a residential plot of area 100 sq.yards or more in notified municipalities.

You may note that 100 sq. yards is equal to 900 sq ft OR 2 cents (approx).

6. Is the residential plot owned by your family less than 200 sq.yards (other than in notified municipalities)?

To be classified under EWS, your family should not own or possess a residential plot of area 200 sq.yards or more in areas other than in notified municipalities.

You may note that 200 sq. yards is equal to 1800 sq ft OR 4 cents (approx).

EWS Reservation Eligibility – Is the criteria uniform across all states in India?

The above criteria are given by the Central Government.

The states in India can set their own income cut-off to decide who constitutes EWS and even exceed the income criteria set by the Centre.

The family income is considered; but what is a “Family” as per the EWS reservation rules?

The term “Family” for this purpose will include the person who seeks the benefit of reservation, his/her parents and siblings below the age of 18 years as also his/her spouse and children below the age of 18 years.

The property held by a “Family” in different locations or different places/cities would be clubbed while applying the land. or property holding test to determine EWS status.

How can you claim the benefit of EWS reservation?

You need to get an “Income and Asset Certificate” from the concerned government authority (Eg: Tehsildar).

The benefit of reservation under EWS can be availed upon production of an Income and Asset Certificate issued by a Competent Authority.

The Income and Asset Certificate issued ‘by any one of the following authorities in the prescribed format shall only be accepted as proof of candidate’s claim as ‘belonging to EWS.

Authorities which can issue an ‘Income and Asset Certificate’

District Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate/ Collector/ Deputy Commissioner/Additional’ Deputy Commissioner/ 1st Class Stipendary Magistrate/ Sub-Divisional Magistrate/ Taluka Magistrate! Executive Magistrate/ Extra Assistant Commissioner

Chief Presidency Magistrate/Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate/ Presidency Magistrate

Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar

Sub-Divisional Officer or the area where the candidate and/or his family normally resides.

Regarding verification of EWS claims

The Officer who issues the certificate would do the same after carefully verifying all relevant documents following due process as prescribed by the respective State/UT.

Instructions referred to above should be strictly followed so that it may not be possible for an unscrupulous person to secure employment on the basis of a false claim and if any person gets an appointment on the basis of such false claim, her/his services shall be terminated invoking the conditions contained in the offer of appointment.

Will the candidates under EWS get additional benefits (Eg: Relaxation in age-limit, number of attempts etc)?

Though there was such a proposal initially, no such relaxations are so far allowed.

Candidates who fall under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) will get just the 10% reservation quota. There won’t be any relaxations with respect to age-limit or number of attempts. It would be the same as those of candidates in the open-merit (general).

Difference between EWS reservation and OBC reservation

For the non-creamy layer candidates among the Other Backward Communities (OBC) 27% reservation is provided. However, for the Economically Weaker Sections among General category candidates only 10% reservation is allowed.

Also, apart from the quota, relaxations in age-limit, the number of chances and cut-offs marks are available for OBC, SC, and ST. No relaxations regarding age-limit or number of attempts are so far granted for Economically Weaker Candidates among general category candidates. There may be a separate cut-off for EWS quota – on similar lines of OBC, SC, and ST.

In determining the income of the OBC candidates, the income of the candidate or his/her spouse is not included. However, the definition of family for EWS quota is different. It includes the candidate as well as his spouse.

Conclusion

In India, there are two kinds of seats – merit seats and reserved seats. Merit seats are open to all while reserved seats are quotas provided to separate categories with a view to uplift them.

There are different kinds of reservations quotas in India – OBC quota, SC quota, ST quota etc. EWS quota is the latest reservation quota introduced.

Persons who are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs and whose family has a gross annual income below Rs 8 lakh are only identified as EWSs for benefit of reservation.

Also, persons whose family owns or possesses any of the following assets shall be excluded from being identified as EWS, irrespective of the family income:

5 acres of agricultural land and above;

A residential flat of 1000 sq ft. and above;

A residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities;

A residential, plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities.

If you are a deserving candidate to be considered under the EWS quota – don’t miss the benefits provided by the government for Economically Weaker Sections. If the concerned Tehsildar or authorities is/are ignorant about the EWS provisions, show him/her the new EWS rules, and ask for the EWS certificate.