Economically Weaker Section Ews - What is Economically Weaker Section Ews?

People with a family income of less than Rs 8 lakh a year are categorized as the Economically weaker section or EWS in India only if they do not belong to ST, SC, or OBC caste categories. 

The Central Government implemented a 10% EWS reservation for the general category through its 103rd Constitution Amendment, which was upheld by the Supreme Court of India. As a result, a 10% reservation will be provided to the general category for Central Government jobs and admission to educational institutions.

EWS Certificate - Who is eligible to claim EWS Quota?

If you belong to the general category and aspire to find a government job or admission into your desired institution, then you can take advantage of a 10% EWS reservation. To claim this benefit, you must obtain an EWS certificate. This is available only to those who meet the eligibility criteria for Economically Weaker Section (EWS):

• You must belong to the general category and should not be categorized under SC/ST/OBC or MBC (applicable in Tamil Nadu)

• Your family's total annual income, from all sources like salary, business, agriculture, etc., for the financial year, should not be more than Rs. 8 lakh

• If your family owns agricultural land, it should be less than 5 acres

• If you or your family owns a flat, its area should not be more than 1000 square feet

• Your family should not own a residential plot of 100 square yards or more in notified municipalities or 200 square yards or more in areas other than notified municipalities.

As per EWS Reservation rules, the term 'family' includes:

• The person applying for the reservation.

• His/her parents.

• His/her siblings below the age of 18 years.

• His/her spouse and children below the age of 18 years.

Additionally, the land or property owned by the family in different locations must be combined while assessing the eligibility conditions for EWS reservations.

What are the EWS quota's advantages?

1. Due to their financial inability, the economically lower parts of society are still prohibited from enrolling in higher education institutions and working for the government. As a result, the 10% quota is progressive and may help India's problems with income and educational disparity.

2. Since many people and classes outside the backward classes suffer from hunger and poverty, the reserve criteria should be economical.

3. The envisaged reservation would grant constitutional status to the lower caste poor through a constitutional amendment.

4. EWS certificate can be used to avail the 10% reservation for the GEN-Economically Weaker Section in higher education all over India and government jobs.

Which characteristics of EWS stand out?

1. In addition to the existing 50% quota set aside for SC, ST, and OBCs, the bill aims to alter Articles 15 and 16 of the constitution to include a 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) within the general/unreserved category.

2. It aims to add the following clause to article 16 after clause (5):

Nothing in this article shall prohibit the State from providing, in addition to the existing reservation, and subject to a maximum of 10% of the posts in each category, for the reservation of appointments or seats in favor of any economically underprivileged sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned in clause (4).

3. 10% of seats in higher education institutions and private institutions (with or without governmental assistance), except minority educational institutions under Article 30, would be reserved for members of the economically disadvantaged parts of society.

4. Additionally, it offers reservations in positions for new hires in state-funded services.

5. Additionally, it will progressively eliminate the stigma attached to reservations because, historically, reservations have been linked to caste. Now reservations will be based on both caste and class.