Telangana government issues orders for 10% EWS quota

Adarsh Nagar: The Telangana government on Monday issued orders for implementation of 10 per cent reservations for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in the state. The general administration department (GAD) issued the Government Order (GO) for 10 per cent reservation to EWS into educational institutions and for initial appointments to posts in services under the state.

The order mentions that 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019 provides for reservations for the economically weaker sections of society in higher educational institutions, including private institutions whether aided or unaided by the state, other than the minority educational institutions referred to in Article 30 of the Constitution of India and also provides for reservations for them in posts in initial appointments in services under the state.

Citizens other than the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes are eligible to get benefit of the 10 per cent quota.

Necessary amendments to rules and guidelines in this regard shall be issued by the General Administration Department and Education Department separately. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on January 22 had announced the reservation for EWS. "There is a need to implement 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education to those economically weaker classes. We have decided to implement 10 per cent reservations to the EWS while continuing the reservations to those who are already enjoying the benefit as it is," he said.

"As on date in the State, 50 per cent reservations are being implemented to the weaker sections. With 10 per cent reservations to the EWS, the reservation percentage will be 60 per cent," he added.

It was in 2019 that the Centre had announced 10 per cent quota for EWS but the Telangana government had not taken a decision to implement it in the state. The Modi government had told the Supreme Court last month that the decision to implement the 10 per cent quota for the economically weak sections in states lies with the state governments.

The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment stated this in response to a petition seeking the implementation of the quota in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The Telangana legislature in 2017 had already passed a Bill enhancing reservation for Muslims from four per cent to 12 per cent and for Scheduled Tribes (STs) from six per cent to 10 per cent.

The State had requested the Centre to amend the Constitution to relax 50 per cent upper limit for quota to all sections as prescribed by the Supreme Court. Despite repeated demands by the Chief Minister, the Centre did not agree to the proposal.