GJ-EWS QUOTA-IMPLEMENTATION

The Gujarat government said

Sunday that it will implement the 10 per cent reservations in

government jobs and higher education for the economically

backward sections in the general category from January 14.

The Constitutional amendment to provide the 10 per

cent quota received assent of President Ram Nath Kovind

Saturday.

"The economically weaker sections from the general

category will get 10 per cent reservation in admissions to

higher education and government jobs starting Uttarayan on

January 14," the state government said in a release.

The new quota will also be implemented in admissions

and jobs which were advertised before January 14 but for which

the actual process has not started, it said.

In such cases, fresh announcement about the admission

process or jobs will have to be made, it added.

However, if the recruitment or admission process --

tests or interviews -- has started before January 14, the 10

per cent quota would not apply, the release added.

Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda criticised the

announcement, saying it will create confusion.

"The government has said it will implement the

provision from January 14, which is Uttarayan holiday. The

chief minister should explain the logic behind this

announcement and the process to implement it," he said.

The BJP government should also explain the status of a

stay granted by the Supreme Court on the similar 10 per cent

reservation for EWS category in Gujarat that was introduced

when Anandiben Patel was chief minister, Chavda added.

The "hurriedly made announcement" will create

confusion among the candidates, he claimed.