UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Government Clarifies Objective and Eligibility Criteria for Reservation to Economically Weaker Sections
Q1. The Office Memorandum operationalising the 10 per cent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections in direct recruitment to civil posts and services in the Government of India was issued by which one of the following?
- A. Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
- B. Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice
- C. Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
- D. National Commission for Backward Classes, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Q2. For identification of a candidate as belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections, the prescribed ceiling of ₹8 lakh refers to which one of the following?
- A. Income of the applicant alone from all sources, averaged over the three financial years preceding the application
- B. Income of the family excluding salary and agricultural income, for the financial year in which the application is made
- C. Taxable income of the family as assessed under the Income-tax Act for the assessment year preceding the application
- D. Gross income of the family from all sources, including salary and agriculture, for the financial year prior to the application
Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the criteria for identifying Economically Weaker Sections with those for determining the creamy layer among Other Backward Classes:
1. A person already covered under the scheme of reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes may additionally claim the benefit of EWS reservation if the family income is below the prescribed ceiling.
2. The two determinations presently share an annual family income limit of ₹8 lakh, but the other conditions prescribed for them are entirely different.
3. Income from salary and income from agriculture are both reckoned while computing family income for EWS eligibility.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A person already covered under the scheme of reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes or Other Backward Classes may additionally claim the benefit of EWS reservation if the family income is below the prescribed ceiling.
- The two determinations presently share an annual family income limit of ₹8 lakh, but the other conditions prescribed for them are entirely different.
- Income from salary and income from agriculture are both reckoned while computing family income for EWS eligibility.
- A. 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. Consider the following statements comparing the 2022 verdict on the EWS quota with the Indra Sawhney judgment of 1992:
1. The 2022 verdict was rendered by a nine-judge Bench, the same strength as the Bench that decided Indra Sawhney.
2. Indra Sawhney laid down that reservations should ordinarily not exceed 50 per cent, whereas the 2022 majority held that this ceiling does not bar the additional 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections.
3. Unlike the reservations considered in Indra Sawhney, the quota upheld in 2022 rests on economic criteria alone rather than on social and educational backwardness.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 2022 verdict was rendered by a nine-judge Bench, the same strength as the Bench that decided Indra Sawhney.
- Indra Sawhney laid down that reservations should ordinarily not exceed 50 per cent, whereas the 2022 majority held that this ceiling does not bar the additional 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections.
- Unlike the reservations considered in Indra Sawhney, the quota upheld in 2022 rests on economic criteria alone rather than on social and educational backwardness.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. Consider the following statements comparing reservation for Economically Weaker Sections with reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes:
1. The ten per cent quota for economically weaker sections is in addition to, and not carved out of, the reservations available to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
2. Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in direct recruitment to central government posts together accounts for twenty-two and a half per cent, against ten per cent for economically weaker sections.
3. Every State Government is obliged to provide reservation for economically weaker sections in State services in the same percentage as that adopted by the Union Government.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The ten per cent quota for economically weaker sections is in addition to, and not carved out of, the reservations available to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
- Reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in direct recruitment to central government posts together accounts for twenty-two and a half per cent, against ten per cent for economically weaker sections.
- Every State Government is obliged to provide reservation for economically weaker sections in State services in the same percentage as that adopted by the Union Government.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q6. The following are stated to fall within the scope of reservation for Economically Weaker Sections. Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Admission to educational institutions established and run by the Central Government
- Admission to private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State
- Admission to minority educational institutions referred to in clause (1) of Article 30
- Direct recruitment to civil posts and services in the Government of India
- A. 2 only
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 3 only
- D. 2 and 3