EWS Certificate Application: How to apply for EWS Certificate 2023

EWS Certificate Application: Citizens of India belonging to the Economically Weaker Section get 10% reservation in the various direct recruitment conducted for civil posts. Those who want to avail the benefits of the EWS category during recruitment and admission in educational institutes should check out this article. This report covers numerous topics relating to the EWS Certificate Application including the requirements to be fulfilled for eligibility. Furthermore, while applying for the income and assets certificate, one should be aware of its pros and cons. Moreover, the validity, EWS certificate documents and procedure can be procured in the upcoming sections of this article.

EWS Certificate Application

The government of India sanction the Economically Weaker Section Bill (103rd CAA) on the 1st of February 2019 to provide better opportunities for the general candidates with weak financial backgrounds. EWS certificate grants vertical reservation to eligible candidates in various sectors. These sectors range from education to the career of the beneficiary. The National Government Service Portal can be used to check the further benefits of the EWS certification and benefits details. The State as well as Central Competent Bodies provide the eligible candidates with the Economically Weaker Section Certificate after proper verification.

Hence, candidates who want to pursue the certificate must confirm their eligibility before filling out the EWS Certificate Application form. After the rejection of the application, their fees will not be refunded under any circumstance. Therefore, we have listed the eligibility conditions to apply online as well as offline. Furthermore, discussions have been made to learn how OBC and Income Certificates are different to the EWS. Those who want to avail the benefits of the EWS category must check the list of documents needed to be attached to the application.

Title	EWS Certificate Application
Year	2023
Full form	Economically Weaker Sections
Name of the bill	Economically Weaker Section Bill (103rd CAA)
Sanctioned on	1st of February 2019
Type	Vertical Reservation
Authority	State/ Central Competent Bodies
Department	Revenue Department
Online platform	National Government Service Portal
Applicable at	Direct Recruitment and Admission to the educational institutions
% reservation	10%
Exemption	Scientific and Technical Posts
Maximum Family Income	8 lacks
Official Website	services.india.gov.in

EWS Certificate Eligibility

The citizens under EWS satisfy the ensuing eligibility conditions:

• Category: The applicant must belong to the General Category. The Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Physically Handicapped, and other categories are already reserved and consequently can claim the respective benefits under the same. Hence, only a general-category citizen can apply for the EWS Certificate.
• Income: As per the EWS Law, the citizens who are applying for the Economically Weaker Section can only apply if their family income is less than Rs. 8 Lakhs per annum. This implies that the combined income of all the earning members of the family should be less than Rs. 8 Lakhs in a year. The family income is calculated after the consideration of all the sources of earnings. This includes multiple earning members and means of income such as business, jobs, pensions, and more.
• Agricultural Property: The citizens who possess land meant for agricultural purposes and is less than 5 acres can apply as well. There is a strict emphasis on the agricultural part and implies to the farmers. Authorities will not consider the land if its purpose is other than farming. Such citizens who satisfy all the conditions but possess land of more than 5 acres will not be considered eligible.
• Residential Property: The Government of India has announced that applicants should not possess any residential plot or flat of more than 100 sq ft. For non-notified municipality divisions, the residence area should be less than 200 sq yards. However, for a notified municipality sector, the limit of property is lowered and should not be more than 100 sq yards. The residential plot can be passed by any member of the family and will still be taken into account.

What does Family imply during the calculation of Income and Properties?

While summarising the assets and income of an applicant for the purpose of an EWS Certificate, the authorities consider the possessions of his/her family. But, what does family mean according to the government, and who all are included during the calculations? The Authorities will consider the following as the family members of the Applicant while issuing an Economically Weaker Section Certificate:

• Parents of the Applicant.
• Spouse of the Applicant until proven divorced or estranged
• Children of the Applicant who are less than 18 years of Age
• Siblings who are less than 18 years of age as well

Eligibility Criteria for EWS Certificate Application

The issuance of the EWS Certificate is entirely on the basis of the satisfaction of the eligibility criteria. An applicant who is unable to satisfy the eligibility conditions will be straightaway denied the document. The candidates who will satisfy the following eligibility conditions will successfully receive the EWS Certificates:

• The citizen should be Indian by nationality.
• The applicant belongs to the Unreserved or General or UR Category only.
• The family income of the applicant combined from all the sources and considering all the earning members should be less than Rs. 8 Lakhs per annum.
• The applicant should not possess any residential property of more than 100 sq ft.
• In case the applicant owns agricultural land, the plot should not be more than 5 Acres.
• The candidate is able to furnish all the required documents that shall prove the above-mentioned criteria.

NOTE: While considering the family income and assets, “Family” accounts for the candidates, their parents, siblings below 18 years of age (if any), their spouse (if any) and children below 18 years of age (if any).

EWS authorizing websites

We have provided our readers with a direct link to the official website for the EWS Certificate Application. Search the state of which you are a resident and domicile holder and click on the direct link of the e-services portal to apply for the certificate. Each state has its own comprehensive and web-enabled e-services gateway to meet the expectations of the citizens.

STATES	DIRECT LINK TO THE WEBSITE
Delhi	edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in
Jharkhand	jharsewa.jharkhand.gov.in
Bihar	serviceonline.bihar.gov.in
Puducherry	edistrict.py.gov.in/
Arunachal Pradesh	eservice.arunachal.gov.in
Nagaland	edistrict.nagaland.gov.in
Maharashtra	aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in
Tamil Nadu	www.tn.gov.in
Manipur	www.eservicesmanipur.gov.in
Mizoram	aizawl.nic.in
Uttar Pradesh	edistrict.up.gov.in
Orissa	edistrict.odisha.gov.in
Haryana	saralharyana.gov.in
Assam	assam.gov.in
Andhra Pradesh	gramawardsachivalayam.ap.gov.in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	edistrict.andaman.gov.in
Kerala	edistrict.kerala.gov.in
Himachal Pradesh	edistrict.hp.gov.in
Punjab	sasnagar.nic.in
Gujarat	www.digitalgujarat.gov.in
Chandigarh	chdservices.gov.in
Telangana	ts.meeseva.telangana.gov.in
Sikkim	eservices.sikkim.gov.in
Tripura	edistrict.tripura.gov.in
Chhattisgarh	edistrict.cgstate.gov.in
Goa	goaonline.gov.in
West Bengal	edistrict.wb.gov.in
Jammu & Kashmir	www.jk.gov.in
Karnataka	nadakacheri.karnataka.gov.in
Rajasthan	sje.rajasthan.gov.in
Uttarakhand	eservices.uk.gov.in

Documents needed

Before sitting down to fill out an application form, one must keep the required documents in hand to avoid lagging and confusion during this procedure. Moreover, this also ensures that the mandated records are in perfect condition and updated to avoid rejection by the concerned authorities. Therefore, check out the documents below tabulated for the eligible applicants of the Economically Weaker Section.

Purpose	Documents Details
Photograph	Passport-size scanned Photo
Residendenails proof	Aadhar card, PAN card, Voter ID card, Ration Card, Passport, Driver’s Licence, Water Bill, Gas Bill, Telephone/post-paid bill
Identity Proof	Aadhar card, PAN card, Voter ID card, Passport, Driver’s Licence
Income certificate	Income Tax Return
Land or Property Documents	Agricultural Property details from the revenue officer
Details of the immovable property	Bank Statement
Other Documents	PAN card, Domicile certificate, Self-declaration or Affidavit, Caste Certificate, Domicile certificate.

How to apply for an EWS certificate online?

Once you know that you are eligible and have the required documents online EWS Certificate Application is not big of a deal. Simply follow the steps given below. This is the most straightforward approach to getting the certificate as soon as possible.

1. Visit the competent authorities’ website.
2. Select the ews certificate registration option.
3. Fill in the required details to register.
   
4. Now, enter the details in the application form.
5. Fill in correct and authentic information. (do not falsity the claims)
6. Upload the relevant documents and certificates.
7. Pay for the online application fees.
8. Save the details and submit the form.
9. Download a copy of the EWS Certificate Application.
10. Keep checking the status of the application with the help of your application number.

Offline EWS Certificate form pdf

If a candidate doesn’t want to apply through online mode, can check the details of the procedure in the steps provided below. This method is better for those in a rush or who want to contact the officials directly instead of visiting the portal.

1. Visit the official site to download the applicable format pdf. OR download the pdf with the help of a link provided in this article.
2. Now, print it out and fill in the essential details.
3. Attach the relevant certificates, self-declaration, photograph etc.
   
4. Submit the form to the competent authority. (list is provided below)
5. Pay the application charges to the department.
6. The EWS certificate will be issued within the discussed time.

Authorities competent to grant an EWS certificate

As long as the certificate is provided by an unauthorized source, the candidate can not avail the benefits of being an EWS citizen of the country. There are serval officials capable of granting an EWS certificate to the eligible applicant after proper verification. Given below is a list of such officers of the state and centre who are entitled to award the certificates to the beneficiary.

S.No.	Officer’s Post
1.	District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate
2.	Collector
3.	Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Extra Assistant Commissioner
4.	1st Class Stipendiary Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Taluka Magistrate, Executive Magistrate
5.	Chief Presidency Magistrate, Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate, Presidency Magistrate
6.	Revenue Officer equal to or above the rank of Tehsildar
7.	Sub-Divisional Officer of the candidate’s residential area

Application fees

Candidates who apply for the EWS proof must make the payment towards the application fees in order to get the certificate on time. The authorities may charge the application fees online or offline depending on the circumstances. Furthermore, candidates are instructed to check the eligibility of the application form as per the requirements. If they are found ineligible after the submission of fees and applications, their money will not be refunded. Therefore, one must not try to falsify the details in their application as the authorities will verify and background check the candidate.

The amount of fees charged for the EWS Certificate Application might differ depending on the state and offices. Hence, ask for the details of the application before applying.

Validity of Economically Weaker Section Certificate

Considering that Income and Assets can never be constant, the Government of India has validated the EWS Certificate. The candidates who are applying for an Economically Weaker Section need to observe that the Certificate will be invalid after a while. The EWS certificate only lasts for a year from the date of issue. Those who already possess an Economically Weaker Section Certificate need to carefully check if it has not yet expired and is valid. The candidates belonging to the Category are specifically advised to keep up with the invalidity date and make a new one, if eligible. They also should especially check the date when applying for any recruitment, institution or scheme. Only a valid EWS Certificate will claim the 10% reservation for the applicant.

Types of EWS certificate

The beneficiaries are informed that if the economically weaker section certificate is issued and authorized by a competent government authority it is valid for all central and state recruitment and admissions. There is no difference between a state-authorised EWS certificate and a central-authorized certificate, as long as they are supported by a capable administration. The certificate granted by the state, as well as central officials both, contributes to getting you a 10% reservation in different walks of life. However, subjective subsidies in various matters may differ department-wise.

EWS vs income certificate.

Those who want to the difference between income certificates and Economically Weaker Section Certificates are informed that both are related to the financial aspect of a beneficiary. However, there are a few key differences that you must check to know which one is better and more beneficial for you.

EWS Certificate	Income Certificate
It is the income and asset proof of a candidate belonging to the economically weaker section.	It is the proof of the financial status of candidates without any consideration of his/her caste or category.
It is produced based on a person’s income and assets of the financial year as well as the property withheld by the family.	It is produced on the basis of the previous year’s income.
To get an EWS certificate, a candidate is required to submit the income certificate.	Candidates need ID proof, Bank Passbook and bills of various expenditures. (electricity, water etc.)
It provides reservation benefits to the beholder.	It is usually used for scholarships in educational institutions, tax relaxation and availing government services.

Difference between EWS and OBC Certificate

The main differences on the basis of important parameters have been discussed below. Candidates confused between the two can check out the dissimilarities between the two and consider if they are applicable to any of the two or not.

Based on	EWS Certificate	OBC Certificate
Full Form	Economically Weaker Section	Other Backward Classes
% reservation	10%	27%
Sub-Categories	None	1. Creamy Layer 2. Non-Creamy Layer
Beneficiaries	General candidates with an annual family income of less than 8 lack.	Candidates who are socially and educationally backwards according to the OBC list of the government.
Age Relaxation	Not applicable	3 years of relaxation in Upper age

Benefits of the EWS

Check out the benefits of carrying an economically weaker section category certificate. These concessions may vary according to the government department or the private authority.

• Those holding the EWS certificate get a 10% reservation in direct recruitment to the civil services and posts.
• During the admission process in prestigious educational institutions, 10% of the total seats are reserved for EWS students.
• This is a vertical reservation, like that of the SC, ST and OBC categories.
• State and central subsidy schemes meant specifically for the EWS category and other Reserved categories can be availed.
• An EWS holder is eligible for various financial aid provided by the government authorities from time to time.
• All these socio-economic advantages help strengthen the economic condition of a family and the nation.

Important Links

Download to apply offline	EWS Application Form PDF
Official website	National Government Services Portal
Visit for more such information	BLW homepage

FAQs

Purpose of Economically Weaker Section Certificate

Candidates who belong to the Economically Weaker Section or EWS category need proof of that. In order to claim the applicable benefits under the category, they need an EWS Certificate. This certificate is not an Income Certificate or asset proof but a compilation of all documents. It serves as the identity of the EWS citizens. Moreover, when applying for Government Jobs or higher education in Government Institutes, the citizens can submit the EWS Certificate to claim a 10% reservation. President Ram Nath Kovind passed the EWS Bill in 2019 and as per the bill, the following need to reserve 10% of seats under the EWS category:

• Central Government Jobs and Recruitments such as the ones under Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission, and more.
• Seats in Government Colleges and other Higher Education Institutes certainly reserve 10% of Seats for EWS Candidates.
• Recruitments conducted by the Semi-Government Bodies and State Bodies need to reserve 10% of Seats for the category GEN-EWS.
• Government Schemes and Scholarships should also have a 10% reservation for Candidates who belong to EWS.

While applying for the above-mentioned Recruitments, Admissions, Schemes, and more, the candidates who wish to avail of the reservations, need to attest to an EWS Certificate.

What is the Economically Weaker Section or EWS?

The Economically Weaker Section is a subcategory under the General Category. Those who belong to this section will surely receive benefits for being financially underprivileged. There is an intricate and detailed eligibility criterion that was announced upon approval of the EWS bill. The citizen who is seeking reservations for 10% of the seats in Government Jobs and Government Institutions can only do so if they possess the certificate at the time of recruitment or admission. A citizen