Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala cabinet on Wednesday approved implementation of 10 per cent reservation in government jobs for the financially backward section in the general category without affecting the existing ones.
This would be implemented by amending the reservation provisions in the Kerala State and Subordinate Services Rules, a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.
The meeting decided the criteria for reservation after considering the recommendations of a two-member commission, headed by retired Judge K Sasidharan Nair and member Advocate K Rajagopalan Nair.
The eligible candidates will be selected on the basis of the income of the family and their financial backwardness, an official release said.
"The government had earlier decided to introduce a 10 per cent reservation in employment and admission in educational institutions for the economically backward sections in general category in the wake of the 103rd Amendment to the Constitution and notifications issued by the Central Government," it said.
This will be effective from the day of notification. The notification will be issued within a week, if approved by the Law Department.
There are demands to see the notification gets retrospective effect to ensure reservations in various employments currently in process, including KAS appointments.
The notification is also expected to give clarity on whether this reservation will be applicable only for the future job applications or does it include the rank lists to be published.
The state government had earlier decided to introduce 10 per cent reservation in staff appointments and admissions in educational institutions on the basis of a notification issued by the Centre in January 2019 through a constitutional amendment.
Following this, financial reservation has been implemented in higher secondary, vocational higher secondary schools, professional colleges, Devaswom Board and public sector undertakings.
Who can avail financial reservation?
Currently, 50 per cent reservation is set aside for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and Backward Communities. With the new notification, an additional 10 per cent will be reserved for the financially backward section in the general category. The remaining 40 per cent will be general quota.
The PSC appointments are expected to follow the same criteria as for appointments in the public sector undertakings.
According to the present criteria, those who do not have a reservation at present and have a family annual income of up to Rs 4 lakh are eligible for reservation. Family land should not exceed 2.5 acres in panchayats, 75 cents in municipalities and 50 cents in corporations. The total land area should not exceed 2.5 acres. The total area of house plots should be less than 20 cents in municipalities and less than 15 cents in corporations.
However, holders of Antyodaya Anna Yojana and Priority Ration Cards will get reservation irrespective of other criteria.
