EWS Reservation: Know Eligibility and Benefits in details

Supreme Court on Monday upheld the EWS quota implemented by the government in 2019. Know all about the eligibility and benefits of EWS quota

Research TeamLast Updated: June 23, 2023

EWS Reservation: Know Eligibility and Benefits in details

EWS Certificate Eligibility contains basic requirements that weaker sections of society must satisfy. EWS full form is the Economically Weaker Section, which is essentially a part of the unreserved category, including people who don’t belong to the OBC/SC/ST categories that enjoy reservation benefits. EWS Certificate Eligibility is decided by the Constitution of India, which gives members a reservation of 10% for education and job opportunities after they fulfill EWS eligibility criteria.

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The EWS criteria are required to claim the reservation quota. It is also called the Income and Assets’ certificate and can be obtained by the local government authority through an application process that varies by state. The designated officer verifies the documents and processes the application to issue an EWS Certificate that you can use as proof to claim a reserved seat under the quota. This article explains the EWS Certificate Eligibility criteria, including minimum income requirements and properties owned. Additionally, understand how to apply for EWS Certificate, its advantages, and more.

EWS quota was implemented in 2019

PM Modi-led the government brought the EWS quota in 2019, by bringing103rd amendments to the Indian constitution. The provision of the EWS quota was added in clause 6 of Article 15 and Article 16 of the constitution. This clause provides reservation to the economically weaker general category given in educational institutions and jobs.

According to the amendment, this reservation can also be implemented by any educational institution, including private ones. However, minority educational institutions are exempted from the amendment.

Who is a prime beneficiary of EWS ?

Unlike reservations based on caste and class, the EWS quota provides reservations to the general category of financially weak people. The fact that a person belonging to a general category comes under EWS depends upon his or his family’s annual income. For a person to come under the EWS quota, his or his family’s income should be less than Rs.8 lakh. Here, the source of income also includes agriculture, business, and other professions.

Where is EWS reservation applicable?

EWS reservation provides relaxation in government jobs and in applying for admission to educational institutions. There will be a 10 per cent reservation under the EWS quota for admission to educational institutions and government jobs.

Proof for EWS

For a person to prove that he belongs to EWS of the society, he needs to have an ‘Income and Asset Certificate’ to claim reservation. Notably, the certificate needs to be issued only by gazetted officers of the rank of Tehsildar or above. This income certificate will be valid for a year. EWS beneficiaries have to renew their certificates every year.

Mandatory condition on the property of EWS

There are certain mandatory conditions for people coming to EWS. A person under this category must have less than 5 acres of agricultural land. Along with this, his residential flat should not be 200 square metres or more. If a residential flat is more than 200 square metres, it should not come under the municipality.

EWS Certificate Eligibility – Overview

The Government of India 2019 introduced a 10% reservation for the economically weaker section belonging to the general category in educational institutes and government jobs. This reservation exists in addition to the 50% mandatory reservation for the OBC/SC/ST categories.

Aspiring students and job seekers from the general category can enjoy reservation benefits if they obtain the EWS Certificate. However, there are EWS criteria that candidates should meet to assert the reservation under the EWS quota.

Reservation Percentage for EWS Certificate

The latest reservation percentage persisting in the country for different categories are given below:

Categories	EWS Reservation Percentage
OBC	27%
ST	7.50%
General-EWS	10%
SC	15%
Unreserved	40.60%

EWS Eligibility Criteria to Claim Quota

The economically weaker section certificate is offered to those candidates by the Indian Government who satisfy the below-mentioned conditions.

These individuals are capable of claiming reservations under the new category. The basic EWS certificate eligibility requirements related to nationality, properties owned, family income, etc., are listed below.

EWS Criteria	Requirements
Residential Property	If an individual buys a residential property, it should be below 100 square yards in a declared municipality sector and less than 200 yards in a non-metropolis sector. The area or measurement of the residential flat should be below 1000 square feet.
Nationality	Aspirants should be a citizen of India.
Family Income	The family members’ revenue must include everyone’s payment sources from business, farming, private job, etc. The family’s yearly earnings should be below ₹8 lakhs.
Agricultural Land	The area should be held by the aspirant privately and not offered for rent to another individual. If the agriculturalist privately possesses the land, it must not exceed 5 acres.
General Category	The candidate must belong to the general category and doesn’t carry any other caste. The EWS reservation is only for general category candidates.

Meaning of ‘Family’ as per EWS Certificate Eligibility:

Depicts the person seeking the reservation.
Their parents.
Their siblings are below 18 years of age.
Their partner and kids are below 18 years of age.

How to Apply for EWS Certificate?

The state decides which medium they are suitable for receiving EWS applications from two methods – offline or online. The overall steps for each process are listed below:

Offline method:

Candidates can opt for the offline method as the application format is similar across the country provided by the Indian Government.
Aspirants should carefully note all the essential points in the application form.
Candidates only get one chance to submit the application form.
Authorities even guide the students about the proper procedure to fill out the EWS reservation form if their details do not match the EWS certificate eligibility.

Online method:

Visit the state’s official website, which accepts application forms online.
Search for ‘Income Certificate’ and select it.
Enter the detailed information asked for on the registration form.
Click on the ‘Submit’ option.
Candidates will get an interim application or registration number on their contact number.
Now, they can enter their login credentials.
Applicants are required to fill the vacant boxes in the application form.
The next step is to upload the scanned documents files in a specific format.
The final step is to pay the fee through BHIM UPI, Credit Card/Debit Card, Internet Banking, or choose any suitable option.
Finally, download the application and e-payment receipt on the device or take its printout.

Advantages of Issuing EWS Certificate

The benefits of the EWS Certificate are numerous, and only candidates with legitimate Income and Asset Certificates receive the advantages of the certificate. Those individuals who fulfill the EWS Certificate Eligibility can avail the listed benefits.

Central universities obey the EWS reservation process and give aspirants seats in the EWS category.
The candidate can also have sponsorship on the schemes provided by the State and Central governments for the welfare of the residents.
The candidates can ask for their rights on multiple government schemes.
The reservation also offers monetary assistance to the EWS category who are in need.

Ews Reservation Eligibility FAQ’s

Who are Eligible for EWS Reservation?

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

Which Caste belongs to EWS Category?

The economically weaker section (EWS) is the section of the society in India that belongs to the un-reserved category and has an annual family income of less than 8 lakh rupees. This category includes people that do not belong to the caste categories of ST/SC/OBC who already enjoy the benefits of reservation.

When did EWS Reservation Start in India?

Following the Narendra Modi government’s introduction of EWS reservation in 2019, a number of petitions were filed. The Supreme Court decided on those petitions on November 7, ruling that the EWS reservation was constitutional.

How many Seats are there in EWS quota?

Government medical colleges have 4000 seats as per the EWS quota 2023 Seat Matrix. The economically weaker section criteria must be met as per the eligibility rules.

Is EWS Applicable for all Castes?

It is a travesty that for the first time in India, the groups that have the highest proportion of below poverty line individuals are excluded from the Economically Weaker Section reservation that is, in principle, meant to target economic deprivation regardless of caste, says economist Ashwini Deshpande.