Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)

December 21, 2021
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN Topics

Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)

Subject – Polity

Context – A three member-committee set up to examine the income criteria for determining the economically weaker sections (EWS) is expected to submit its report to the Centre within the next few days.

Concept –

The committee was set up after the Supreme Court questioned the income criteria for defining EWS, and termed it “arbitrary”, noting that the ceiling for determining EWS (Rs 8 lakh) is the same as the limit for determining the other backward classes (OBC) “creamy layer” for reservation for the children of people outside of government.
- At present, those with an annual income below Rs 8 lakh fall in the EWS category.
The 10% EWS quota was introduced under the 103rd Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2019 by amending Articles 15 and 16.
- It inserted Article 15 (6) and Article 16 (6).
It is for economic reservation in jobs and admissions in education institutes for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
It was enacted to promote the welfare of the poor not covered by the 50% reservation policy for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC).
It enables both Centre and the states to provide reservation to the EWS of society.

EWS reservation was granted based on the recommendations of a commission headed by Major General (retd) S R Sinho.
- The Sinho Commission recommended that all below poverty line (BPL) families within the general category as notified from time to time, and also all families whose annual family income from all sources is below the taxable limit, should be identified as EBCs (economically backward classes).
The present income ceiling of Rs 8 lakh fixed for EWS is the same as that for OBCs for quotas for people outside of government. For the OBC quota in government, there is a different criterion based on the ranks of the parents of the candidate. Outside of government, there is an income criterion, which was raised from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh in 2017.