Srinagar, Sep 29: The Jammu and Kashmir government has said that there is currently no proposal under consideration to relax the existing criteria for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), including doing away with the prescribed asset-based criteria.
The information was provided by the Social Welfare Department in response to a starred question raised by Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone regarding category certificates and reservation-related issues.
The department said that recommendations regarding reservation have been submitted to the competent authority. However, details of queries raised by the Union Government or the decision and proceedings of the Cabinet cannot be provided under Rule 38 of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, particularly Clause (xxi), the government said.
Regarding category certificates, the government provided division-wise figures for the period from January 1, 2025 to August 1, 2026. Jammu Division recorded 3,84,249 category certificates issued/cases, with 49,953 cases shown under the second category in the department’s tabulated data, while Kashmir Division recorded 86,198 and 11,316 respectively.
On cases involving persons who allegedly obtained category certificates through misrepresentation of facts or fraud during the aforesaid period, the department said the information was nil.
Regarding EWS eligibility, the government said there is presently no proposal to relax the existing criteria, including the prescribed asset-based conditions.
On whether a PHH ration card could also be used as a criterion for issuance of EWS certificates, the department referred to Clause 18(a) of the J&K Reservation Rules read with SRO 518 of 2019. It said EWS is defined in relation to persons not covered under the reservation scheme for SCs, STs and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, whose family has a gross annual income below ₹8 lakh and who do not possess assets specified under the relevant provisions.
The department further clarified that possession of a Priority Household (PHH) ration card, by itself, does not substitute the prescribed income and asset criteria for determining EWS status.
On proportional representation in reservation categories based on population data, the government said the matter would be examined in accordance with the applicable legal provisions once the data of Census-2027 becomes available. (KNO)
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