Centre plans to roll out 10% EWS quota in two phases, eyes private institutes

The Union government was reported in January 2019 to be planning to introduce the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) across educational institutions over two academic sessions, completing the process by 2020. It was also preparing a new bill that would bring private higher education institutes under reservation rules.

The proposed bill

Under the plan, private educational institutes would also have to apply the existing combined 49.5% reservation for OBC, SC and ST candidates from this year, provided Parliament approved the proposed law. The government was trying to move the legislation in the Budget session.

The new bill was meant to apply both the SC, ST and OBC quotas, in line with the 93rd constitutional amendment, and the EWS quota recently introduced through the 103rd amendment, to private institutes.

A decentralised approach

Rather than a top-down system with detailed rules set by the Centre, the government was said to be considering a mechanism based on each institute. Sources suggested private institutes might be asked to prepare their own action plans for reservation for SC, ST, OBC and EWS students, publish them on their websites and carry them out. Institutes that failed to do so could face action from regulatory bodies.

Open questions

It remained unclear what the financial impact of the quota would be, or whether the government would bear any of the cost. Both the 93rd and 103rd amendments already provide an enabling framework for extending reservation to private institutes. However, because there has been no specific law and the matter has been in litigation, the question has so far stayed unsettled.

See also: election news and the BJP

Originally published on 17 January 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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