EWS Reservation Quota (10%) though has been dubbed an Election gimmick by the opposition parties, and has petitions pending in the Supreme Court; however, all major national level recruitments as well as entrance exams have included it in their official information bulletins. The latest to join the league is the Indian Railways, which has made way for EWS Reservation in its latest mega recruitment drive for over 1 lac Level 1 posts against RRC 01/2019 Group D Recruitment 2019.
Let us take you through 5 points that clarify whether you qualify for the EWS Quota or not:
1. As per the official advertisement, “Candidates who are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SC/ST/OBC-NCL and whose family gross annual income is below Rs 8 Lakh (Rupees eight lakh) are to be identified as EWS for benefit of reservation for EWS.”
2. Furthermore, the Indian Railways have notified that gross annual income shall include income from all sources whether in the form of salary, agriculture, business, profession or any other head, for the financial year prior to the year of application.
“For this CEN No.RRC-01/2019 the financial year will be 2018-2019 as the closing date of registration is 12.04.2019” clarified the Railway Recruitment Board.
3. The term “Family” includes the applicant who seeks benefit of EWS 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.
4. Applicants whose family owns or possesses any of the below mentioned assets are excluded from being identified as EWS, irrespective of family income whether its below 8 lac or not:
i. 5 acres of agricultural land and above;
ii. Residential flat of 1000 sq. ft. and above;
iii. Residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities;
iv. Residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities. v. 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.
5. Candidates need to produce an Income and Asset Certificate issued by a Competent Authority in order to claim EWS Reservation Quota benefit. The Competent Authority could be:
a) District Magistrate/Additional District Magistrate/Collector/Deputy Commissioner/Additional Deputy Commissioner/1st Class Stipendiary Magistrate/Sub-Divisional Magistrate/Taluka Magistrate/Executive Magistrate/Extra Assistant Commissioner
b) Chief Presidency Magistrate/Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate/Presidency Magistrate
c) Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar and
d) Sub-Divisional Officer of the area where the candidate and/or his family normally resides.