The 103rd Constitutional amendment gave recognition to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). For the first time ever, economic class is constitutionally recognized as a vulnerable section & would form the basis of affirmative action program. It is a departure from the traditional centrality of caste in deciding affirmative action.
Importance of reservation to Economically weaker sections:
- Affirmative action: In order to bring economic equality for those deserving candidates from economically weaker sections.
- Greater participation from rural areas: It has been seen that the proportion of students from rural areas in the premier educational institutes of India is very poor. The reservation to the EWS would improve this ratio.
- Reducing geographic disparities: It would make it easier for the students from the poorer states to get admissions in India's educational institutions and jobs.
- Social Justice: This would mean equality of opportunities.
- Regional difference: regional differences create differences in purchasing power across urban/rural regions and per capita income/GDP across States must be considered to arrive at this number.
- Social status: Even within the general categories gender acts as a disability. Thus there can be a different criteria for women and transgender persons.
- Different consideration for the Post-graduates: In professional courses graduation generally leads to better income opportunities for meritorious students, which would easily lead to a breach of the limit. This would require a different criteria at a higher level.
- Ease of Implementation: Having different income limits for different geographies - rural, urban, metro or states will create complications, especially considering people have become more mobile and increasingly moving from one part of the country to another for jobs, studies, business etc.