How to get EWS or Income and Asset Certificate in West Bengal?

The government of West Bengal has introduced Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) reservations for economically backward candidates in the general category. Candidates who belong to the EWS category will get a 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions in West Bengal.

Eligibility Criteria for EWS or Income and Asset Certificate in West Bengal

Candidates should satisfy both income and asset criteria to get an Economically Weaker Section certificate.

Income Criteria

Persons who are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs and whose family has a gross annual income below Rs 8.00 lakh are to be identified as EWSs for benefit of reservation.

Income shall also include income from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession, etc. for the financial year before the year of application.

Asset Criteria

Also, persons whose family owns or possesses any of the following assets shall be excluded from being identified as EWS, irrespective of the family income:-

• 5 acres of agricultural land and above;

• Residential at of 1000 sq ft. and above;

• Residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities;

• Residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities.

The property held by a "Family" in different locations or different places/cities would be clubbed while applying the land. or property holding test to determine EWS status.

The term "Family" for this purpose will include the person who seeks the benefit of reservation, his/her parents and siblings below the age of 18 years as also his/her spouse and children below the age of 18 years.

Documents Required for EWS or Income and Asset Certificate in West Bengal

Following documents are required for getting benefits under this reservation.

• Voter ID card or Citizenship Certificate of self or parents

• PAN card of self or parents

• Birth Certificate issued by Competent authority/Admit card of certificate of Madhyamik or equivalent examination

• Payslip of Self/Parents

• Income Certificate from prescribed authorities

• Residential Certificate

• RoR/Parcha/Registered Deed

• Certificate in support of sub-caste from Pradhan of Gram Panchayat, Chairman of Municipalities, Councillor of Municipal Corporations

• Self Declaration regarding family income, assets and sub-caste in prescribed format

Application Process of EWS or Income and Asset Certificate in West Bengal

To get an EWS certificate, you need to follow the below procedure.

• Visit any of the following officers in your area to get an Income and Asset Certificate. The Income and Asset Certificate issued 'by any one of the following authorities in the prescribed format shall only be accepted as proof of candidate's claim as 'belonging to EWS.  

  • Block Development Officers for rural areas.

  • Sub Divisional Officer for Municipalities

  • DWO, Kolkata for KMC areas

• The concerned officer will do an inquiry into your income and asset before providing the EWS certificate.

• On receipt of the application, the receiving authority shall ask the applicant to appear, on a suitable date within 2 weeks from the date of receipt of the application, for a hearing and submission of proofs for verification of family income and sub-caste in the manner it is done for issuance of caste certificate before the following authorities.

  • Inspector BCW for Panchayat and Municipal area and also for Municipal Corporation areas other than KMC

  • DWO, Kolkata/ IBCW posted in DWO Kolkata Office for KMC area

• Verification of immovable assets like agricultural land, residential flat/plot shall be done by the BL & LRO for Panchayat/Municipal areas including areas under Municipal Corporations other than KMC. In the KMS areas, such verification shall be done by the BL & LRO/Chief Valuer/Surveyor

• On completion of the enquiry, the application along with enquiry reports will be referred to the concerned certificate issuing authority who in turn shall examine the reports and supporting documents and if everything is found satisfactory about the eligibility of the applicant, shall issue the Income and Asset Certificate in the prescribed format. 

Time to get EWS or Income and Asset Certificate in West Bengal

An officer from the concerned office will conduct an inquiry to check your income and asset. It will take around 21 days after the inquiry is done to get the EWS certificate.

However, as per the guidelines, the concerned officer should expedite the process as the crucial date for submitting income and asset certificate by the candidate may be treated as the closing date for receipt of application.

Age Relaxation

There is no age relaxation for EWS candidates. So the age limit for general category students will apply for EWS candidates as well.

Also, there is no relaxation in the number of attempts in case of examinations.

Exemptions

"Scientific and Technical" posts which satisfy all the following conditions can be exempted from the purview of the reservation orders by the Ministries/ Departments:

(i) The posts should be in grades above the lowest grade in Group A of the service concerned.

(ii) They should be classified as "scientific or technical" in terms of Cabinet Secretariat, according to which scientific and technical posts for which qualifications in the natural sciences or exact sciences or applied sciences or technology are prescribed and, the incumbents of which have to use that knowledge in the discharge of their duties.

(iii) The posts should be 'for conducting research' or 'for organizing, guiding and directing research'.

Important Points

• Persons belonging to EWS who are selected based on merit and not on account of reservation are not to be counted towards the quota meant for reservation.

• Persons belonging to EWS selected against the quota for persons with benchmark disabilities/ex-servicemen shall be placed against the roster points earmarked for EWS.

• The Educational Institutions and Recruiting Government Agencies should verify the veracity of the Income and asset certificate submitted by the candidate through the certificate issuing authority.

Application Forms

• Application form for Income and Asset Certificate (Economically Weaker Section Certificate)

• Self Declaration form for Income and Asset (Economically Weaker Section) Certificate

• Economically Weaker Section (Income and Asset) Certificate