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List of Documents Required for EWS Certificate

Documents required for EWS certificate include government-issued ID proof, ration card, family income documents, Income tax returns, etc. These documents are needed to validate your status in the Economically Weaker Section and must be kept ready before the application process. Keep reading to know more!

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The documents required for EWS certificate include different types of documentation like valid photo ID proof, family income documents, Aadhar card, ration card, income tax return documents, etc. The purpose of these documents is solely to verify whether the individual applying for the certificate falls in the Economically Weaker Section or not. Several requirements must be met in order to be eligible for an EWS certificate and the same includes not being from any of the Reserved categories like SC/ST/OBC. Take a look at the complete list of documents required for EWS certificate and also other requirements below. 

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What are EWS Certificate Documents?

EWS stands for Economically Weaker Sections. EWS certificate is issued to the candidates with a family income below the conditioned bracket. Through this certificate, the holder can avail the benefits of a new kind of reservation that was introduced in 2019. EWS is a sub-category under the General category and is separate from other categories like Backwards Classes, ST, and SC. 

The President of India passed the EWS Bill on 12th January 2019 under which, 10% of the total seats are reserved for the EWS category holder in a recruitment or entrance exam. Gujarat was the first state to pass this bill on 14th January 2019. 

EWS certificate documents may be a sub-category under the General category but it is considered as an income certificate and not a caste certificate. If you wish to apply for a recruitment or entrance exam and fall under this category, you can get an EWS Certificate issued by the competent authority and attach this document to your application. The issuance of this document requires you to apply for it and present the important documents required for EWS certificate. 

If you are wondering what does an EWS Certificate look like, here’s a proforma for you:

EWS Certificate Documents Overview

To truly understand what is EWS certificate, candidates must have a quick look at the overview. 

Parameters 

Details 

Certificate Name

Economically Weaker Section Certificate 

Website 

services.india.gov.in 

Name of Service Portal 

National Government Service Portal 

Name of the law 

Economic Weaker Section Bill 

Department 

Revenue 

Certificate renewal 

One year 

Application mode 

Online and offline 

Who Can Apply for an EWS Certificate?

Those who fit into the Economically Weaker Section category are eligible to receive the EWS certificate. However, in order to be qualified for the certificate, the applicant must meet several requirements and provide the necessary EWS documents required. The primary requirements for eligibility are not being a member of any of India's reserved categories, such as SC, ST, or OBC, and having a family income of at least INR 8 lakh annually.

List of EWS Certificate Documents

Here is the list of documents required for EWS certificate:

  • Passport Size Photograph

  • EWS Certificate Application Form

  • Ration Card/ Epic Card/ Aadhaar Card

  • ID Proof (Voter ID, PAN Card, etc)

  • Affidavit or Self-Declaration

  • Domicile Certificate

  • Residential Proof

  • Land or Property Documents

  • Copy of IT Returns/ Pay Slips or Any Other Document 

  • Valid Documents Proving Family Income and Asset

Note: The documents required for EWS certificate must prove family income or assets certified by an officer, not below the rank of a Tehsildar in the Union Territories or States. 

Benefits of Acquiring EWS Certificate Documents

Here are the advantages of possessing an Economically Weaker Section (EWS) Certificate:

  • The EWS certificate enables people from the General category facing financial difficulties to access a 10% reservation in government employment.
  • All significant universities affiliated with the UGC reserve 10% of their seats for individuals belonging to the EWS category.
  • Qualified individuals can utilize their EWS certificate to participate in State and Central government subsidy programs.

EWS Certificate Eligibility Criteria

Apart from submitting the necessary documents, one must be aware of eligibility criteria before applying for an EWS certificate. The eligibility criteria are -

  • Students should belong only to the general category 
  • The annum family income must be less than Rs. 8 lakh 
  • Students must neither comprise agricultural land nor own more than 5 acres of area 
  • Aspirants should have a residential property of less than 100 sq. feet of area in terms of overall size
  • Residential plots owned in the municipality sector must be less than 100 sq. yards 
  • Residential plots owned by the family in the non-notified municipality sector must be below 240 sq. Yards 

Important Note:  

  • Family income comprises income from sources such as business, salary, agriculture, private job, etc. 
  • Family members are defined as self, spouse, applicant’s parents, children and siblings below the age of 18 years.

How to Apply for an EWS Certificate?

The application for an EWS certificate document can be done online as well as offline. Here are the steps involved:

Online:

  • The application process for the EWS certificate document is dependent on the respective state government. 

  • You will have to visit the official portal of the respective state government and apply there. 

  • The application instructions for the same will be provided on the portal itself. 

  • Make sure to carry the scanned copies of the EWS certificate documents at the time of the application. You will be required to upload these scanned copies.

  • Fill in the details diligently and leave no space for any kind of error or discrepancy.

  • You can finally submit the form after paying an application fee. 

Offline:

  • For the offline process, you can get an application from the nearby certificate issuance authority. 

  • You can also download an application from the official website of the respective state government. 

  • After downloading the form, get a printout and fill it out diligently. 

  • You will have to attach the documents required for the EWS certificate along with the application and post it to the provided address.

  • You can have a look at the offline copy of the application below and download it for future use. 

How to Check Status of an EWS Certificate Document? 

Students can visit the official websites of the states to check their EWS certificate application status online. Given below are the official portals to check the application status of the EWS certificate. 

State 

Portal Name 

Andhra Pradesh 

meeseva app 

Assam 

Assam state portal 

Arunachal Pradesh 

Arunachal eServices portal 

Bihar 

RTPS portal 

Gujarat 

Digital Gujarat portal 

Chhattisgarh 

e-district portal 

Chandigarh 

e-district portal 

Delhi 

e-district portal 

Jharkhand 

Jharkhand e-District   

Himachal Pradesh 

Himachal Online Seva 

Haryana 

e-Disha portal 

Jammu and Kashmir 

Jammu & Kashmir State e-Services 

Madhya Pradesh 

MP e-District portal 

Nagaland 

e-District portal   

Manipur 

e-District portal   

Maharashtra 

Aaple Sarkar portal   

Meghalaya 

e-District portal   

Mizoram 

e-District portal   

Punjab 

State portal of Punjab 

Odisha 

e-District portal   

Rajasthan 

e-Mitra portal   

Tripura 

e-District portal 

Tamil Nadu 

Tamil Nadu e-Sevai 

Sikkim 

e-Services 

Telangana 

MeeSeva portal 

Uttar Pradesh 

e-Saathi web portal 

Uttarakhand 

e-District portal 

West Bengal 

West Bengal e-District 

Competent Authorities to Issue EWS Certificate Documents

Here is a list of the authorities that are competent to issue an EWS Certificate and verify the EWS documents required. The authority must be concerned with the locality you are from. 

  • Collector

  • Deputy Collector

  • DM (District Magistrate)

  • Additional District Magistrate

  • City Magistrate - Taluka Magistrate

  • Deputy Commissioner

  • Additional Deputy Commissioner

  • Revenue Officers not below the rank of Tahsildar

  • Sub Divisional Officer (of the area of  your residence)

  • Executive Magistrate

  • Extra Assistant Commissioner

  • Development Officer

  • Chief Presidency Magistrate

  • Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate

  • I-Class Stipendiary Magistrate

  • President Magistrate

How Long Does it Take to Process an EWS Certificate?

The time to process an EWS certificate in India depends on the state where you apply. Typically, it takes a maximum of 21 days from the day you submit your application. It's important to understand that this is only an approximation, and the real processing time can be shorter or longer based on individual situations.

How Does EWS Certificate Differ from OBC Certificate?

Here are the differences between an EWS certificate and an OBC certificate:

Parameters 

EWS Certificate 

OBC Certificate 

Applicability  

Economically Weaker Section 

Other Backward Classes 

Age relaxation 

Yes 

No 

Reservation 

10% 

27% 

Annual Income 

Exclusively for individuals belonging to the General category and earning an annual income of INR 8 lakh or below.

Individuals belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) who have an annual income below INR 8 lakh are eligible to apply.

EWS Certificate Validity

An EWS certificate is typically valid for one year from the date it is issued. In order to enjoy the lifetime benefits of the certificate, an individual needs to renew and update it annually. However, in some states, the certificate is valid only for 6 months from the date of issue. A local government authority, such as a Tehsildar, Revenue Officer, or any other officer designated by the state government is responsible for issuing this certificate. It is imperative for the individuals to provide their updated income and asset details to prove that they still qualify under the EWS criteria. An EWS certificate gives the privilege to the candidates to avail the benefits under the EWS quota in educational institutions and government jobs. Renewal of these certificates can be done through online mode in some states to save time. But, to renew the certificates offline, one has to visit the office of the issuing authority.

Hopefully, this article on the documents required for EWS certificate was helpful to candidates. Take a look at the articles mentioned below to learn more!

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FAQs

How many days does it take to get EWS certificate?

Typically it takes around 21 days to get EWS certificate from the day of submitting the application. However, the time it takes for a student to receive their EWS certificate is different for different candidates based on the state in which they reside. The wait time for processing the EWS certificate application may take shorter or longer depending on individual situations.

What is the difference between EWS and income certificate?

The difference between EWS and Income certificate is that an EWS certificate is issued to students belonging to Economically Weaker Sections for purposes of availing reservation benefits during civil recruitment and admission in educational institutes. However, an income certificate is issued to declare the income of an individual or family. Income certificate is a mandatory document for obtaining EWS certificate.

Can OBC apply for EWS?

No, candidates who belong to Other Backward Classes category and have the proper certification for the same cannot apply for EWS certificate. Since OBC students will enjoy reservation benefits, they cannot avail EWS reservation benefits on top of the same.

How is EWS certificate verified?

The Economically Weaker Section (EWS) background of candidates is verified by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) using the EWS certificate itself as foundation. Income, property, and plot size are not manually verified by the UPSC. In order to verify if EWS certificates are authentic, the UPSC could perform a sample inspection.

Which caste is under EWS?

There is no caste under EWS since EWS stands for Economically Weaker Sections. Only those individuals who do not belong to the traditional reservation caste categories like SC/ST/OBC and whose family income is less than 8 lakhs per annum are eligible for an EWS certificate.

Are there two types of EWS certificates?

No, there is only one type of EWS certificate that is issued by the state government to to provide reservation benefits in civil recruitment and admission in educational institutes to students belonging to Economically Weaker Sections. It is important to note that the EWS certificate is issued to only those who do not fall under traditional reservation categories.

Which affidavit is required for EWS certificate?

The affidavit required for EWS certificate is the family income certificate which must be duly notarized. The affidavit must clearly mention that the candidate’s family income from all sources is less than 8 lakhs per annum. 

Who is responsible for issuing the EWS certificate?


There are several competent authorities that can issue EWS certificates to eligible candidates. Students must make sure that the competent authorities through which they are applying for an EWS certificate conform to the locality where they reside. The competent authorities who can issue EWS certificates include:

  • Collector
  • Deputy Collector
  • City Magistrate - Taluka Magistrate
  • DM (District Magistrate)
  • Additional District Magistrate
  • Deputy Commissioner
  • Additional Deputy Commissioner

What are the benefits of EWS certificate?

The benefits of EWS certification mainly include the availability of reservations when it comes to different jobs and higher education courses. The Government of India has mandated the reservation of 10% to individuals belonging to the economically weaker section of the society to avail government jobs and higher education. This means that candidates who possess an EWS certificate will be given relaxation in terms of eligibility required when applying for jobs or higher education courses.

Is there a difference between state EWS and central EWS certificates?

No, there is no difference between state EWS and central EWS certificates since there is only one certificate issued by the Government of India to individuals belonging to the Economically Weaker Section. The EWS certificate is issued by the competent authority to candidates who meet the eligibility criteria through a due application process. Once issued candidates must use the same EWS certificate for availing reservation.

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