Ews Quota

Medanta, Fortis hospitals asked to keep 20% beds for BPL, EWS families

Families falling under the BPL and the EWS will now get medical facilities in Medanta and Fortis hospitals in Gurugram, as per an initiative taken by the district administration

Karnataka scraps 4% reservation for religious minorities, adds them in EWS

The Karnataka government on Friday announced its decision to abolish the four per cent quota for religious minorities' and add it to the existing quota of two dominant communities of the poll-bound state. The four per cent reservation will now be divided into two equal parts and added to the existing quota for the Vokkaligas and Lingayats for whom two new reservation categories of 2C and 2D were created during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year. The cabinet decided to bring the religious minorities under the EWS category. The decision comes ahead of the assembly elections. Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the religious minorities quota would be done away with and brought under the 10 percent pool of the EWS group without any change of condition. The four per cent (reservation for minorities) will be divided into two between 2C and 2D. The four per cent reservation for the Vokkaligas and others will enhance to six per cent and

Delhi govt issues directions to ensure unhindered admission in EWS category

The action plan was discussed during a high-level meeting where Education Minister Atishi instructed the officials that the EWS admissions for this session be done in a smooth manner

25k EWS houses to be constructed across Punjab in phased manner: Minister

The Punjab government will construct 25,000 houses for people from economically weaker sections (EWS) in a phased manner, Housing and Urban Development Minister Aman Arora said on Saturday. Replying to a question in the state assembly here, the minister said nearly 15,000 dwelling units will be constructed in the first phase under the Punjab EWS Housing Policy. The sites where these units are to be constructed have been identified and the tendering process will be initiated soon, he said. Arora claimed that due to the negligence of previous governments, more than 14,000 unauthorised colonies mushroomed in the state, and EWS housing was ignored. "Now, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is concerned about providing a roof to the economically weaker sections and notices have been issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department to promoters who have not handed over the possession of the land reserved for EWS housing as per the policy," he said. Sharing the .

25,000 houses for EWS to be constructed across Punjab: Minister Aman Arora

Punjab government will construct 25,000 houses for people from economically weaker sections in a phased manner, Housing and Urban Development Minister Aman Arora informed the state assembly here on Saturday. Replying to a question in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the minister said nearly 15,000 dwelling units will be constructed in the first phase under the Punjab EWS Housing Policy. The sites, where these units are to be constructed, have been identified and the tendering process will be initiated soon, he said. Arora claimed that due to the negligence of previous governments, more than 14,000 unauthorised colonies mushroomed in the state, and the EWS housing was ignored. "Now, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is concerned to provide a roof to the economically weaker sections and notices have been issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department to promoters, who have not handed over the possession of the land reserved for EWS housing as per the policy," he ...

1,700 applications received from students for DU's fee waiver scheme

Around 1,700 applications have been received for the Delhi University's fee waiver scheme for students from an economically weak background, an official said on Thursday. The university will examine the applications and release the final list of the students who will become beneficiaries of the Financial Support Scheme (FSS), the official said. January 31 was the last date for applying for the scheme. "We have received around 1,700 applications for the fee waiver scheme so far. The university through this scheme will extend the benefits of equity, access and quality with excellence, both in letter and spirit, to the financially weak students," the official told PTI. In keeping with the spirit of the government's "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas" motto, the DU had announced the scheme in November last year. The waiver includes all components of the fees paid by the students except the examination fee and the hostel fee. Students from an economically weak background can get up to a 100 pe

A question of quota: How to determine who is 'economically weak'

Determining who is 'economically weak' will shape the success of the reservation policy

Private schools in Delhi won't deny admission to children under EWS section

Private schools in the national capital will no longer be able to deny admission to children under the Economically Weaker Section category as per their will after a Delhi High Court order. The High Court on Friday ruled that private schools will no longer be able to deny admissions to children under the EWS category selected through the draw of lots by the Directorate of Education, Delhi government officials said. This order by the High Court will provide relief to thousands of poor families, as private schools will not be able to deny admission to their children, the officials said. Over the last few years, the Directorate of Education received several complaints about private schools refusing to give admission to the children allotted to them, they said. Private schools were arguing that they are not giving admission to EWS category children due to non-fulfillment of admissions in general seats, they added. In this case, it was observed that many private schools were giving ...

Opposition demands talks on inflation, EWS during all-party meet: Report

In the all-party meeting on Tuesday, Opposition parties demanded discussions on price rise, unemployment and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota among other issues, sources said. Leaders from all major parties attended the meeting convened by the central government to discuss the legislative agenda and the issues likely to be discussed during the the Winter Session of Parliament that begins on December 7. The government was represented by Union minister and deputy leader of the BJP in Lok Sabha Rajnath Singh and Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi was also present. During the meeting, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a discussion on the appointment of election commissioner in just one day, EWS quota and unemployment. TMC leader Derek O'Brien sought discussions on price rise, unemployment, alleged misuse of agencies and economic blockade of states, sources said. O'Brien a

DMK files review petition against top court order upholding 10% EWS quota

Plea seeks an open court hearing in the matter on the ground that it affects a lot of citizens in the country

DMK seeks review of EWS quota judgement, says it overrules Mandal verdict

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Monday sought a review of the November 7 verdict of the Supreme Court which upheld 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS) in educational institutions and government jobs that excluded the poor among the SC/ST/OBC categories, contending it "legitimises discrimination". It said there is an apparent error in the judgement as it directly overrules the landmark 1992 nine-judge Constitution bench verdict in the Indra Swahney versus Union of India case, popularly referred to as the Mandal verdict'. The DMK said all five judges on the Constitution bench which pronounced its verdict on November 7 upholding the EWS quota introduced in 2019, have answered that the 103rd Constitution Amendment cannot be said to breach the basic structure of the Constitution and therefore it overruled the 1992 judgement, which authoritatively pronounced that reservation cannot be granted on the basis of economic criteria. The review plea said, "It is ...

Chhattisgarh Assembly clears 2 amendment bills on reservation; quota at 76%

The Chhattisgarh Assembly on Friday unanimously passed two amendment bills related to reservation in government jobs and admission in educational institutions in proportion to population of different categories, taking the total quota in the state to 76 per cent. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tabled the Chhattisgarh Public Service (Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Reservation) Amendment Bill and Chhattisgarh Educational Institutions (Reservation in admission) Amendment Bill, which were passed after a debate of more than five hours. As per the bills, Scheduled Tribes will get quota of 32 per cent, Other Backward Classes 27 per cent, Scheduled Caste 13 per cent, while 4 per cent has been provisioned for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in public employment and admissions in educational institutions. Answering the discussion on the bills, Baghel said the previous BJP governments could not form a Quantifiable Data Commission, which was constituted by his ...

Delhi University launches 100% fee waiver scheme for EWS students

The Delhi University has started a scheme of fee waiver for students from an economically weak background to provide the benefits of equity, access and quality with excellence to everyone, an official said on Wednesday. The waiver includes all components of the fees paid by the students except the examination fee and the hostel fee. Students from an economically weak background can get up to 100 per cent fee waiver, depending on their family income. A full-time bona fide student studying in the university is eligible to apply for it. December 12 is the last date for applying. "The University of Delhi celebrates diversity and is deeply committed to holistic and inclusive education. Understanding the need for affirmative actions as mandated in the Constitution of India and to extend the benefits of equity, access and quality with excellence, both in letter and spirit, to the financially weak students, it proposes to begin a financial support scheme," the DU official told PTI. The sch

Best of BS Opinion: Meritocracy & reservations, trading on growth, and more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today:

Meritocracy & reservations

Has merit become a bad word in India? For India's exceptional human resources to remain in the country, it needs to phase out all caste, community, and income-based reservations

For the Congress, a middle position is hard to sustain: Zoya Hasan

'While the Congress claims that the yatra is not a tool to win elections, its success will only be gauged in electoral terms in the future'

Political parties, some groups seek a review of SC order on EWS quota

Some groups and political parties are seeking a review of the recent Supreme Court order on quotas for EWS

All party meet rejects constitutional amendment providing 10% quota to EWS

An all Legislative party meeting chaired by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday said it "rejected" the 103rd Constitutional Amendment providing 10 per cent EWS quota by the Centre, saying it created "caste-discrimination" among the poor. The meeting, boycotted by Principal opposition AIADMK and its ally BJP, urged the state government to "strongly" register its opinions when a review petition is filed. The ruling DMK has already announced it will file a review petition against the November 8 five-judge Supreme Court bench upholding the 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The quota was upheld 3-2 by the bench. "We reject the 103rd Constitutional Amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to castes that have progressed since it is against the social justice envisioned by the Constitution, against various Apex court verdicts, and for creating caste discrimination among the poor," the all-party meeting resolved on Saturday. "When a review

MCD polls: BJP issues 'Wachan Patra', promises EWS flats for slum dwellers

The Delhi BJP on Thursday issued a 'Wachan Patra' ahead of the MCD polls, promising to provide EWS flats to every slum dweller in the city. Polling for the municipal elections in Delhi will be held on December 4 and votes will be counted on December 7. The 'Wachan Patra' (pledge letter) released by Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta, MP Manoj Tiwari and MCD poll management committee head Ashish Sood carried the pictures of flats allotted to slum dwellers recently in Kalkaji. The prime minister had handed over keys of the EWS flats to the beneficiaries of Bhoomiheen Camp slum in a function held at Vigyan Bhawan. Kejriwal government has never tried to improve the living condition of the slum dwellers but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved his concern for the poor by providing good quality flats to them with all amenities, Gupta said. "The BJP is committed to provide such good quality flats as were built in Kalkaji to all the slum dwellers as per Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan scheme, "h

TMS Ep298: Regulate 'finfluencers', EWS quota, Markets, Regulatory sandbox

Is it time to regulate financial influencers? What does the EWS quota verdict mean for India? Is the tide turning for PSU banks? What is a regulatory sandbox? All answers here