UR Full Form

UR full form is an unreserved category which comprises that section of society who don't come under reservations as set by the Indian government. As per the norms formulated by the government to uplift the backward classes in India by offering them concessions and relaxation in education, scholarship and government jobs. However, an unreserved category is considered a financially stable community hence devoid of any facilities or aid given by the government. Read our article to get a comprehensive understanding of the unreserved category. 

What is UR Full Form?

UR full form is an unreserved category pertaining to a community of people who are devoid of the quota system as defined by the government of India. Unlike the reserved category, URs are not provided with any relaxation in terms of admission in reputable institutes, marks or age relaxation in competitive examinations. 

As per the data given by NSSO, India’s total population comprised 28.8% of unreserved category people. Many confuse UR with the general category, well they are not similar because, under the general category, you can find open and unreserved categories. Religion is not taken into account when categorizing people into various sections, it is based on the economic circumstance of the people. 

Highlights on UR

An Overview of the Unreserved Category

The quota system has been prevalent in India since independence to help the backward classes who were deprived of basic facilities in pre-independent India by offering them educational aid through scholarships and other facilities. If we understand unreserved category (UR full form) by taking into account the policies enforced by the government, URs are those individuals who do not fall into the categories or disadvantaged groups set by the government. 

Well, people falling under different categories often change as the government from time to time updates category divisions. Though the URs are not given any reservation in an educational institution or job field they might receive employment opportunities or preferential treatment in schools or colleges based on merit. 

Origin of Reservation Policy in india

India is a country with diverse cultures, Pre-independent India had a caste system that comprises four categories such as Brahmins, Kshatriays, Vaishyas and Shudras. The caste system deprived the backward classes of fundamental rights like education. Looking at the discrimination practices by the upper caste in SC or STs, the reservation policy was imposed by Jyotirao Phule and William Hunter in 1882.

Well, the policies you find today were introduced by British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald in  1933. The provision set by this new policy segregated electorates for Sikhs, Muslims, Dalits, anglo-Indians, Christians and Europeans; however, from 24 Sep 1932, with the Poona Pact agreement, the decision to categorize the electorate for Hindus and some reservations to oppressed classes formed the foundation of reservation system in India. 

Post-independence constitution of India clarified the rights of SC/ST, OBC and unreserved categories. Initially, the reservation policy had a tenure of 10 years; however, it was extended and is still prevalent. In 1991, OBC got a place on the reservation, and it was recommended by the Mandal Commission. Finally, in 2007, reservations came into existence in AIQ seats that offered 15% seats to SC and ST got 7.5%.

Difference between UR and Reserved Categories?

Be it securing admission at an educational institute or applying for jobs in the government sector, it is vital to gain a proper insight into the differences between various categories upon which reservation policy and benefits are associated. 

Is There Any Reservation for UR's Under EWS?

In certain scenarios, the unreserved category requires financial assistance if they hail from a low-income group. The Indian government has started a 10% financial quota for those URs who are unable to fulfill basic necessities due to a lack of economic stability. The reservations will be offered by thoroughly scrutinizing properties and the total income of an individual or family. If we trace back the origin of the 10% reservation for the UR category, we will find that the Narasimha Rao government was the one introducing it. Well, benefits offered to the unreserved category who were economically weak were taken back by the supreme court in 1992 due to some disputes. 

Again in 2019, under BJP’s leadership quota of poor URs was reintroduced to help a section of the society that doesn’t fall under any reservation set by the government but gets aid from the government due to lack of financial stability. 

Who Can Claim Quota Under EWS?

There are certain criteria defined for categorizing the unreserved section of society under the EWS quota so that the facility is not misused. Below are some of the requirements fulfilled by an unreserved category to get the 10% quota.

• Families or individuals who earned above INR 8 lakh are not included under the category.
• Income from all sources including profession, agriculture and business are taken into consideration when defining someone as EWS.
• To become eligible in receiving a 10% quota, a family or individual should not possess any agricultural land that exceeds 5 acres. 
• For those who possess a flat, it should not exceed 1000 sq. ft.

What is the General Category Commission?

A general category commission was formulated by the Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Chouhan for the welfare and employment of the general category in the state. One of the catalysts that led to the formation of this commission is the prevalent inequalities faced by those sections of society that don’t fall under any reserved categories like SC, ST or OBC. If we check the total seats available in India’s top civil service exam which is UPSC, we may be shocked by the minimum 40% seat allotment for unreserved candidates. 

Reports show that 30% of the URs are not educated and half of them are living in grim poverty. To minimize disparities existing in URs who fall under economically weaker sections, the General Category commission was established. 

Pros and Cons of Falling Under the Unreserved category

As it is popularly said that there are both sides to a coin, it applies to the caste system too. URs who don’t come under any reservation or relaxation when it comes to seat allotment in educational institutes have both positive and negative aspects which will be discussed below.

Pros:

• The UR whose full form is unreserved category has always earned a respectable and authoritative position in Indian society since pre-independent India.
• It is generally considered that the URs being not included in any reserved category get the highest economic status.

Cons:

• The prevalence of reservation acts as a stumbling block for bright students who fail to secure a seat in an educational institution.
• In the government job sector, cut-offs are comparatively higher for unreserved people.
• URs are devoid of any facilities for government aid like scholarships.

Caste system in India since the British Raj has somehow created a disparity in the society. Though the reservations to backward classes have led to their upliftment, the unreserved category (UR full form) who hail from poor economic backgrounds often face challenges.