Maratha community can take benefits under 10% EWS quota, says Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government on Monday announced that members of the Maratha community would be accommodated in the 10% quota for Economically Weaker Section, PTI reported. An order was issued by the General Administration Department of the state government.

This came four weeks after the Supreme Court scrapped a separate reservation in jobs and education for the community, calling it unconstitutional. In 2019, the Central government had extended EWS reservation in education and jobs to poorer sections with annual income less than Rs 8 lakh. This is meant for sections of society not covered by any reservation.

The Maharashtra government order said the Maratha community, which has been classified as a Socially and Economically Backward Class, can take benefits of EWS quota. It will be applicable to the community from September 9, 2020, when the Supreme Court brought an interim stay on the reservation, to May 5, 2021, when the final verdict was announced.

At least 6,000 people are expected to benefit from the new order. The provision, however, will not be applicable to those who had already been appointed under the SEBC quota in appointments and admissions, the order said. It can also be used retrospectively for selection processes announced before September 9, 2020, in which no…

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