Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) announced on 1 February (Friday) that it will adopt the 10 ten per cent quota for economically weaker section in the general category as per government’s regulations and tabled a detailed outline of the scheme in order to increase seats for students and faculty positions to the Centre.

“The JNU Administration has prepared a comprehensive outline of infrastructural requirements and new faculty positions necessary to effect a 25 per cent increase in seats and submitted it to the UGC before the January 31 deadline,” said the university as reported by Times of India.

The ten per cent reservation would, however, be an addition to the existing 50 per cent reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, taking the total reservation to 60 per cent, breaching the 50 per cent limit imposed by Supreme Court in Indra Sawhney judgment.

The Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019 defines Economically Weaker Section (EWS) as one having:

Annual household income below Rs 8 lakh.

Agriculture land below 5 acres.

Residential house below 1000 sqft.

Residential plot below 100 yards in notified municipality.

Residential plot below 200 yards in non-notified municipality area

Also read: Why Modi Government Need Not Fear The ‘Basic Structure’ Test For General Category Reservation