Andhra Govt sets 10% quota in Govt jobs for economically weaker sections

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday issued an order setting aside 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections(EWS), the special quota created by the Centre through Constitution (103) amendment Act, in recruitment of government jobs.

People from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) who are not covered under any form of reservation in Andhra Pradesh will get reservations in educational institutions, admissions and appointments for the current and subsequent academic years, says the order.

Although the state government has been implementing the 10 per cent quota for admissions into educational institutions, the grant of reservations in employment got delayed due to the court litigation. The government has also increased the family income cap to Rs 8 lakh per annum from Rs 5 lakh per annum to become eligible under EWS.

A TOI report quoted the government accusing that the hurried attempts of the previous TDP government to provide reservations to Kapu community by creating a separate quota for Kapus within EBC quota led to the delay of implementation of reservation for EWS in the state.

In the order shared late night on Wednesday,,Adityanath Das, Chief Secretary of the state said that 'the persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the socially and educationally backward classes are to be identified as EWS for the benefit of reservation,"

According to the order, people from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) who are not covered under any form of reservation whose gross annual family income is below Rs 8 lakh will eligible for EWS reservation. The income includes income from all sources such as salary, agriculture, business, profession and others prior to the year of application.

"The term family for this will include the person who seeks the benefit of reservation, his parents and siblings below the age of 18 years as also his spouse and children below the age of 18 years," he said.

Likewise, one-third of 33 per cent of seats enhanced for this purpose of accommodating EWS category students will be earmarked for women candidates, which is horizontal.

Adityanath Das has also listed the operational guidelines to implementation of 10% reservation to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) for initial appointments in the posts and services under the state government.

According to the report by Times of India in initial appointments in the posts and services of government, the persons recruited under EWS category will be adjusted against the roster points earmarked for them.

The orders on the roster points earmarked for 10% reservation to EWS category will be issued separately, says the report

People interested in availing of this reservation must obtain an EWS reservation certificate from their respective tehsildar, said Adityanath Das, Chief Secretary of the state. Das also directed all administrative departments and district collectors to take necessary action.

"This order is issued subject to the outcome of writ petitions and public interest litigations (PILs) filed in this regard before the Courts," the chief secretary added.