The annual income limit for availing Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota for initial appointments in posts and for admissions into educational institutions in Telangana has been fixed at Rs 8 lakh.
As per the guideline issued by the state government for implementation of 10 per cent reservation to EWS, only those from EWS are eligible who are not covered under the scheme of reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.
The gross annual income limit for availing the EWS reservation is below Rs 8 lakh. The income shall also include income from all sources that is salary, agriculture, business, profession, etc., for the financial year prior to the year of application.
The guidelines stipulate that 33.3 per cent of the initial appointments in posts and services under the state government earmarked for EWS category would be allocated to women among them. The maximum age for direct recruitment to a post would be raised by 5 years for EWS candidates on par with SC, ST and BC candidates.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Tuesday issued the Government Order (GO) with consolidated guidelines for implementation of the EWS quota.
It was on January 21 this year that the Telangana government decided to implement the 10 per cent reservation to EWS in the state.
The Centre in 2019 had announced a 10 per cent quota for EWS in higher educational institutions including private institutions and initial appointments in services under the state.
The state government issued guidelines at a time when it is gearing up to fill 50,000 vacancies in various departments and admissions are set to begin in professional courses including engineering, agriculture, pharmacy, MBA, MCA and LLB.
According to the GO, the General Administration Department and Education Department will separately issue necessary amendments to rules and guidelines following the criteria and guidelines prescribed by the Government of India.
The benefit of reservation under EWS can be availed upon production of an Income Certificate issued by a Tehsildar. The office who issues the certificate would do the same after carefully verifying all relevant documents following due process, reads the GO.
Where in any recruitment year any vacancy earmarked for EWS cannot be filled up due to non-availability of a suitable candidate belonging to EWS, such vacancies for that particular recruitment year shall not be carried forward to the next recruitment year as backlog, it said.
EWS candidates would get exemption from exam fees on par with SC/ST/BC candidates in respect of direct recruitments.
The government has directed all higher educational institutions in the state to increase the number of seats in each branch of study or faculty to admit EWS candidates for all admission notifications issued hereafter.
With 10 per cent reservation to EWS, the overall quota for various categories in the state has gone up to 60 per cent.
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 the 50 per cent upper limit for quota to all sections as prescribed by the Supreme Court. The Centre has still not responded to the request.