Cabinet gives ex post facto approval to EWS quota

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) The Union Cabinet Wednesday gave ex post facto approval to the revised Office Memorandum (OM) pertaining to the Cabinet note on "Amendment of Constitution to provide for reservation for Economically Weaker Sections". The OM was approved by the Cabinet on January 8.

"The approval will promote social equity by providing opportunities in higher education and employment to those who have been excluded by virtue of their economic status," an official statement said. The constitutional provision to provide 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and education to economically backward section in the general category had come into force on February4, a government notification said

The Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019 received the assent of the President on January 12. The Act amends Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution, by adding a clause which allows states to make "special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens"

These "special provisions" would relate to "their admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the state, other than the minority educational institutions" It also said the reservation would be "in addition to the existing reservations and subject to a maximum of 10 per cent of the total seats in each category".

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