10% EWS quota in govt jobs from February 1

New Delhi: In a major development, the government has made it official that the 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker section (EWS) of general category will be implemented in filling the government vacancies from February 1.

According to an official order, all central government posts will be filled after factoring in the recently approved 10 per cent reservation for EWS.

In an order issued by Ministry of Personnel said that detailed instructions regarding the procedure for the implementation of the EWS quota will be issued separately.

"It is hereby notified that 10 per cent reservation would be provided for economically weaker sections in central government posts and services and would be effective in respect of all direct recruitment vacancies to be notified on or after February 1, 2019," it said.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill on providing 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education to the general category poor was passed by Parliament on January 9.

"Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally backward classes and whose family has a gross annual income below Rs 8 lakh are to be identified as EWSs for the benefit of reservation," according to an order by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Also, persons whose family owns or possesses five acres of agricultural land and above, residential flat of 1,000 sq ft and above; residential plot of 100 sq yards and above in notified municipalities and residential plot of 200 sq yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities "shall be excluded from being identified as EWSs, irrespective of the family income", it said.

The income and assets of the families would be required to be certified by an officer not below the rank of Tehsildar in states/Union Territories, after carefully verifying all relevant documents following due process as prescribed by the respective state/UT, the order said.

Instructions regarding reservation in admission to educational institutions will be issued by the HRD Ministry, it said.

Notably, Indian Railways would become the first government department to implement the 10 per cent quota for the general category poor and provide around 23,000 jobs in the next two years. The national transporter is set to recruit around 1.31 lakh employees within the next six months and about a lakh more over the next two years.

The Indian Railways has a sanctioned strength of 15,06,598 employees. Out of these, 12,23,622 personnel are on roll. The remaining 2,82,976 are vacant posts. The recruitment for 1,51,548 posts in the railways is going on, leaving 1,31,428 posts still vacant.