The number of people obtaining income or wealth certificates for economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category has been on the rise in the State.
According to official data available up to February 28, the number of certificates issued by Tahsildars during 2022-23 was 5,389, the highest so far. During 2021-22, it was 3,417 while the tally was 4,344 in 2020-21.
The certificates are issued for the purpose of seeking admission to Central educational institutions and employment in the Central government. This follows the introduction of 10% quota for the EWS through a Constitutional amendment in January 2019.
The amendment excludes Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) from its scope. A notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training in the Central government on January 19, 2019, defined a candidate of the EWS as one whose family had a gross annual income below ₹8 lakh. Also, the possession of five acres of agricultural land or a residential flat of 1,000 sq.ft. or a residential plot of 100 sq. yards in notified municipalities or such a plot of 200 sq. yards in other areas will exclude any candidate from the scheme of EWS quota. In November 2022, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the amendment.
Asked for comment on the increasing number of certificates in the State, G.S. Ramasubramanian, one of the litigants who went to the Madras High Court about three years ago in support of the quota, appreciates the State government for cooperation in the matter. He calls for generating greater awareness about the EWS certificates. He suggests that commissioners of the Income Tax Department too be empowered to issue income certificates.
As far as the State government is concerned, it does not favour the EWS quota, which, according to the government, is against the principle of social justice. This has been the stand from the beginning. Also, the Centre informed the Supreme Court a couple of years ago that it would be the States’ prerogative to provide the 10% quota.
Even though a May 2019 circular of the office of Commissioner of Revenue Administration of the State government permitted Tahsildars in the State to issue such certificates, its implementation was suspended briefly in 2020 as the government had later felt that the circular was issued without consulting the Minister concerned.
When this move was challenged by a set of petitioners in the High Court, the government had constituted a Group of Ministers to examine the matter and later decided that it would have the certificates issued through Tahsildars and such certificates could be used only for the Central institutions.
