Assam government has 10% EWS quota in state government jobs | Popgen Tech

The Assam government has decided to maintain 10% quota in state government jobs for applicants from economically weaker sections, The Hindu reported on Friday.

“The pose of the EWS [Economically Weaker Sections] Job quota will not affect the posts already advertised and reservation for the category will continue for admission in educational institutions,” he added.

In 2019, the Union government introduced the Economically Weaker Section quota for those who cannot avail the reservation granted to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, but have an annual family income of less than Rs 8 lakh.

However, those from families owning more than five acres of agricultural land or 1,000 square feet of residential land are not eligible for the quota.

The constitutionality of the law was challenged before the Supreme Court. However, on November 7, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court upheld the 10% EWS quota in a 3:2 ruling.

Assam was among the 12 States and Union Territories that implemented 10% job reservation to the Economically Weaker Sections. The other states were Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Telangana and Uttarakhand, according to The Hindu.

On Friday, opposition parties in Assam criticized the state government’s move regarding the quota.

The Trinamool Congress said the decision was against the Supreme Court ruling.

“We oppose the government’s decision to retain the 10% job quota for the EWS category,” Trinamool Congress Assam president Ripun Bora said, according to The new Indian express.

Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia claimed that the move was a cost-cutting measure due to a financial crisis brought on by the Assam government.