Economically backward to get 10 per cent quota in Guj

Gujarat government on Sunday issued the ordinance providing 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward among upper castes, two days after it announced the politically-sensitive measure.

The Gujarat Unreserved Economically Weaker Sections (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Ordinance, 2016, issued on the occasion of state Foundation Day, grants 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker people from unreserved category whose annual family income does not exceed Rs 6 lakh. The ordinance clarified that reservation to the economically weaker sections (EWS) was apart from the policy for reservation for SC, ST and SEBC which was being followed by the state government.

“Economically weaker section of unreserved categories of the society have expressed their inability to compete with the higher strata who are economically sound and as a result of which, such EWS feel disadvantaged in terms of their representation in the matter of admissions in educational institutions and in the services and posts under the state,” the ordinance stated.

“It is considered necessary to provide for 10 per cent reservation on the basis of economic status to economically weaker sections of the society other than the SC, ST and SEBC for admissions in the educational institutions and for appointments in the services and posts under the state,” it stated.

According to the order, “Such reservation shall be available to the persons of EWS of the society as per the criteria as are applicable to the persons belonging to the socially and educationally backward classes in the state”.