OBC EWS Certificate: Good News! OBC and General Categories Now Eligible for EWS Certificate, Calcutta High Court Delivers Final Verdict
OBC EWS Certificate: In a landmark judgment, the Calcutta High Court has delivered a groundbreaking verdict regarding the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) certificate. From now on, candidates from both OBC (Other Backward Classes) and General categories will be eligible to apply for the EWS certificate. This ruling is expected to benefit thousands of job aspirants and students across the state.
Background of the EWS Certificate Case
Previously, the rule stipulated that if an applicant’s surname was listed in the OBC list, they would not be issued an EWS certificate. A case was filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging this. The petitioners argued that they wished to avail the benefits of the EWS quota without taking advantage of their OBC reservation. The High Court’s decision was based on this petition.
The High Court’s Final Verdict
The final judgment was delivered by the bench of Justice Amrita Sinha. The key points of the verdict are:
- Both OBC and General are Eligible: Any candidate from the OBC and General categories can now apply for the EWS certificate.
- Forfeiture of Reservation Benefits: To be eligible, applicants must be willing to give up their caste-based reservation (OBC) benefits.
- Directive to Upgrade Portal: The state government has been ordered to immediately upgrade its online portal to allow all eligible candidates to apply for the EWS certificate.
- Different Purpose, Different Criteria: The court clarified that the purpose and eligibility criteria for a caste certificate and an EWS certificate are entirely different.
Eligibility Criteria for EWS Certificate
According to the Calcutta High Court’s ruling, the following conditions must be met to obtain an EWS certificate:
- The applicant must be a citizen of India.
- The applicant must belong to the General or OBC category.
- The applicant or their family must be a resident of the state.
- The annual family income must be less than ₹8 lakh.
- Must not own more than 5 acres of agricultural land.
- Must not own a flat of 1000 sq. ft. or more.
- Must not own a residential plot of 100 sq. yards or more in a municipality or 200 sq. yards or more in other areas.
Benefits of the EWS Certificate
The EWS certificate provides a 10% reservation for economically weaker sections in government jobs and educational institutions. Previously, only candidates from the General category could avail this benefit. Now, with OBC candidates also included, the opportunities for government jobs and higher education will expand for them.
This verdict is undoubtedly a historic step. It will benefit many deserving candidates in the state who were previously deprived of EWS benefits solely due to their caste.
