- The Union Cabinet has approved a budget of Rs.4315.15 crore to create the additional seats in 158 central educational institutions to implement 10% EWS quota.
- In January 2019, the government had passed 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act. It provides for 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the economically weaker section in the unreserved category. It also provides for reservation in private unaided educational institutions.
- The quota is over and above the existing reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Class. It breaches the 50% reservation limit set by Supreme Court.
- The 10% quota has been subjected to widespread debate and been criticised on grounds such as a) completely violates the Constitutional norm that economic criterion cannot be the only basis of reservation, b) violative of the equality principle enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution as it excludes OBCs, SCs and STs from the scope of economic reservation c) breaches 50% reservation cap and d) provides reservation in private educational institutions which has been clearly barred by the SC in previous judgements.
