Key highlights 103 Constitution Amendment Act
This is in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that asks the Supreme Court to intervene so that the 10% EWS quota can be implemented in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka without disrupting the existing reservation framework, which includes the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Backward Classes (BC), and Most Backward Classes (MBC).
The Amendment Act’s ten percent reservation is in addition to the current ten percent reservation. It does not affect or infringe on anyone’s basic rights to equality but instead grants the EWS equal participation and representation.
The Centre notified the Supreme Court that it has no role in deciding any state government’s reservation policy. The reservation under Articles 15(6) and 16(6) must be decided by the affected state governments.
103rd Amendment Act, 2019 in Indian Constitution
As a result of the 103 Constitution Amendment Act, the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes now have a 10% reservation for admission to central government and private educational institutions, as well as recruitment into central government jobs.
Private unaided educational institutions are also covered by the clause, except minority educational institutions. Economic backwardness is measured based on household income.