The Union government has notified eligibility criteria for 10% upper caste quota.

The Union government has notified the annual household income and land holding criteria for giving 10% quota to economically weaker candidates from general category. A candidate from general category seeking reservation should not have household income of over Rs 8 lakh in a year to qualify for reservation in central government jobs and admission in institutions of higher education.

Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the nodal department dealing with service matters, issued a notification on Saturday evening detailing the income and land holding criteria for candidates from general category seeking to avail the benefits under 10% quota for economically weaker sections.

There are six criteria that a person from general category must fulfill to qualify for the reservation.

The gross income of the family should not be more than Rs 8 lakh in the preceding financial year. The gross income would include the income from salary, agriculture, business and profession and other means.

Definition of family for the purpose of giving 10% quota would also include the candidate’s own income, income of his/her parents, income of spouse and also income of siblings and children below the age of 18 years.

And a candidate will be excluded from the list of eligible candidates irrespective of his/her family’s gross annual income if the family holds any of these things listed in point (i) to (iv).

(i) Five acres of agricultural land and above.

(ii) Residential flat of 1,000 square feet and above.

(iii) Residential plot of 100 square yards and above in notified municipalities.

(iv) Residential plot of 200 square yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities.

As per the official notification, this 10% quota will become applicable on all vacancies that will be filled through direct recruitment route from February 1, 2019.