EWS Quota Committee Report

January 3, 2022

On January 1, 2021, A special committee has submitted report to the Supreme Court on reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

Key Facts

In a report, the panel has suggested to implement the recommendations only from the next admission cycle and not from the ongoing session.
This is so, because sudden change will cause major disruption across educational institutes as well as create complications for authorities and beneficiaries.

Background

Special committee was created to review the eligibility criteria of 10% reservations for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in government institutes and jobs. Petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court, to challenge the income criteria for EWS quota in NEET exam, which determines admissions to medical colleges. While hearing the petition, court asked the central government on how it arrived at Rs 8 lakh income limit. Following this, an expert committee was proposed to review the EWS quota criteria.

What are the recommendations?

Committee has suggested to drop the existing criteria on residential asset size. It also suggested to retain the Rs 8 lakh annual income limit.
It recommends to continue the existing process, which is in effect since 2019, for the current admission cycle
It further suggests to use ‘a three-year feedback loop cycle’ for monitoring the actual outcomes of these criteria and then used them to adjust in future.
It also suggests to use data exchange and information technology actively for verifying income & assets as well as improve targeting for EWS reservations.
It suggests to remove residential asset criteria, because mere possession of residential house may not reflect the economic condition of the candidate or his family.

Government’s view

Central government is expected to go with the panel’s recommendations and revise its EWS quota guidelines as per recommendations.

Members of the Panel

The expert committee comprise of three-members:

Ajay Bhushan Pandey who is former finance secretary
VK Malhotra, a member secretary of Indian Council of Social Science Research.
Sanjeev Sanyal who is principal economic advisor to the government.

EWS quota of 2019

EWS quota notification of 2019 was issued by the Department of Personnel & Training. As per notification, irrespective of the family income, persons will be excluded from being identified as EWS in following cases:

Whose family owns or possesses 5 acres of agricultural land,
A residential plot of 1,000 square feet
A residential plot of 100 square yards in notified municipalities.
A plot of 200 square yards and above in areas other than notified municipalities.

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