16/07/2025
EWS Certificate Criteria: A Disadvantage for Kashmir Students?
The Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation was introduced to uplift economically backward students from the general category by offering them a fair chance in education and jobs. While the intent was inclusive, the implementation of EWS criteria appears to disproportionately favour Jammu-based students, leaving many deserving Kashmiri students behind.
Despite Kashmir housing around 55 % of J&K’s population, it secured only 7.7 % of EWS certificates. Jammu, with a smaller population share, received over 92 %—revealing a systemic skew . The disparity is echoed in other reservation categories too, including ST and SC—further affirming a persistent imbalance
The Core of the Problem
The EWS eligibility is based on several factors, including:
Family income (below ₹8 lakh per annum)
Size of agricultural land (less than 5 acres)
Residential house area (less than 1000 sq. ft.)
Ownership of certain assets
On the surface, these may seem fair. But the ground realities in Kashmir Valley are different from Jammu.
1. Landholding Patterns:
In many parts of Kashmir, families historically own agricultural land passed down through generations. Even small orchard plots or land for sustenance farming disqualify them, regardless of their actual income or economic condition. In contrast, many Jammu-based families, especially in urban settings, own smaller plots but with higher income and access to services, making them eligible under EWS norms.
2. Housing Disparities:
Traditional homes in Kashmir, especially in rural areas, are often larger due to multi-generational living and architecture suited for harsh winters. These homes may cross the 1000 sq. ft. mark — again disqualifying students, even if they lack basic income or employment.
3. Income Assessment Challenges:
Kashmir faces higher unemployment and disrupted economic activities due to political instability. Yet, informal income sources or lack of proper income documentation makes it difficult for Kashmiri families to present their economic condition effectively on paper.
A Call for Region-Sensitive Criteria
It’s time the EWS policy is revisited with a region-specific lens. Uniform criteria applied across Jammu and Kashmir ignore the socio-economic and cultural differences between the regions. A Kashmiri student from a low-income family living in a larger ancestral house should not be denied the EWS benefit just because of technicalities that don’t reflect economic reality.
Conclusion
If the government truly wants the EWS policy to benefit all, it must adopt a more inclusive, realistic, and region-specific framework. Kashmiri students deserve equal opportunity and denying them this benefit on paper-based technicalities is a silent discrimination that needs to be addressed.
