Delhi High Court Rules EWS Category Cannot Claim Age Relaxation or Extra Attempts Like SC/ST/OBC

The Delhi High Court has held that candidates belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category cannot claim age relaxation or enhanced number of attempts in government recruitment examinations on par with candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), or Other Backward Classes (OBC).

The judgment was delivered in response to petitions by EWS candidates who sought parity with reserved categories in upper age limits and the number of attempts permitted in Union Public Service Commission and Staff Selection Commission examinations. The Court ruled that the 103rd Constitutional Amendment, which introduced the 10 per cent EWS reservation in 2019, provides only for reservation in direct recruitment and educational admissions. It does not extend additional concessions that have historically been given to socially and educationally backward classes.

The Court observed that age relaxation and additional attempts for SC, ST, and OBC candidates flow from the recognition of historical social and educational disadvantage. EWS was introduced as a purely economic criterion and is available only to candidates who do not already fall under SC/ST/OBC. The Court held that reading in additional concessions for EWS beyond what the Constitution and government rules provide would amount to rewriting the scheme.

For aspirants, the ruling clarifies that EWS candidates receive the 10 per cent reservation in vacancies and relaxation in minimum qualifying marks where applicable, but retain the standard upper age limit and maximum number of attempts that apply to General category candidates. The decision has immediate implications for UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, and other central government recruitment processes.

Candidates are advised to carefully check category-wise eligibility criteria in each notification and not assume that EWS status carries all the concessions extended to SC/ST/OBC categories.