EWS quota introduced for the first time in UPSC Civil Services 2019 exam is facing mixed reactions from aspirants after the final cutoff list released where the EWS category cutoff is lower than the OBC, SC, and ST at different stages.
The EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quota was introduced in the UPSC Civil Services Exams for the first time in the year 2019. As per the provision,10 percent EWS quota is reserved for upper-caste poor in the CSE. This is in addition to the already-existing reservation granted to SCs (15 percent), STs (7.5 percent), and OBCs (27 percent).
EWS category Cutoff much lower than the OBC, SC, and ST
With UPSC releasing the final results of the Civil Services 2019 exam, controversy regarding the Cut-off marks of the EWS category has emerged. As per the official Cutoff list released the UPSC, the minimum qualifying marks for EWS category are much lower than the OBC, SC and ST categories at various stages of the examination.
In the Prelims exam 2019, the minimum passing cut-off for the EWS category was 90 marks while for OBC, SC and ST were 95.34, 82, and 77.34 respectively. While in the Mains exam, a candidate of the EWS category had to score a minimum of 696 marks while for OBC, SC, and ST the minimum qualifying marks were 718, 706, 699 respectively.
“Nothing wrong in cut-offs” defends UPSC
As per the senior UPSC officials, the controversy was unfounded since every reserved category is bound to have its own cut-off list, which depends on the number of candidates who come forward to avail the quota in that category and their performance. If fewer people are coming forward to avail of the EWS quota, then obviously its cut-off will be lower in comparison to the SC/ST/OBC quota.
It is to be noted that the 10 percent EWS quota is separate from the SC/ST/OBC quota.
SC Judgement on EWS Quota
The Supreme Court on August 5 referred petitions challenging 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for poor citizens (EWS) to a five-judge Constitution Bench. Last year, the Modi government had announced the EWS quota for the upper-caste poor in government jobs and educational institutes, fulfilling a longstanding demand of the financially-disadvantaged sections of the general category.
