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!
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?
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
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.