New Delhi: The Central Government has informed the Supreme Court that it has fixed the family income limit of Rs 8 lakh per annum or less to avail benefits under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). It has been decided to accept the recommendation of the three-member committee.
In the affidavit filed in the NEET-PG admission case, the Center said that the committee has recommended: “only those families whose annual family income is up to Rs 8 lakh to get the benefit of reservation under EWS quota”. R Subramaniam, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, has filed an affidavit in the apex court on behalf of the Central Government. “I would like to state with the respect that the central government has decided to accept the recommendations of the committee, including the recommendations for implementation of the norms…,” he said.
It is noteworthy that to look into the issue, the government had constituted a committee on November 30 last year which included former finance secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey, member secretary in ICSSR VK Malhotra, and the Centre’s principal economic advisor Sanjeev Sanyal. The committee was formed by the central government as part of an assurance given to the court that it would consider the criteria for giving benefits under EWS.
The committee had submitted its report on December 31 last year and told the Centre, “The criteria for family income of Rs 8 lakh or less per annum should be maintained at present for reservation under EWS.” The committee recommended, “A person whose family owns five acres or more of agricultural land, irrespective of his income, may be excluded from EWS. The residential property criterion may also be removed.”
It is noteworthy that on November 25, the central government had told the apex court that it has decided to reconsider the eligibility for an annual income of Rs 8 lakh for admission and reservation in jobs under the EWS category and at the same time NEET. Counseling for admission to medical courses under PG will be postponed by four weeks. The top court will next hear the matter on January 6.
