J&K EWS Certificate Controversy: Why Jammu Has Ten Times More Certificates Than Kashmir
By : Alia Kashmiri
A major debate has started in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) over Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates. Recent government data shows a massive difference between the two regions. Out of 26,544 total EWS certificates issued in the last two years:
- Jammu Division: 24,058 certificates (about 91%)
- Kashmir Division: 2,486 certificates (about 9%)
This means Jammu received nearly ten times more certificates than Kashmir, raising important questions about how poverty is measured. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Why Did the Issue Start?
The issue came to light during the J&K Legislative Assembly session when Peoples Conference leader and Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone questioned the huge gap.
Lone pointed out that according to ration card data (PHH and AAY), Kashmir actually has more low-income families (about 37.71 lakh beneficiaries) compared to Jammu (about 29.81 lakh). He argued that the EWS certificate numbers do not match real ground conditions.
Government Stand and Rules
The government defended the current system, stating that EWS certificates are given based on strict rules set by the Union Government and J&K Reservation Rules:
- Officials explained that having a low-income ration card does not automatically make someone eligible for an EWS certificate.
- Income and property assets are the main legal factors used to decide eligibility.
- Currently, the government has no plans to change these rules.
Should Property Rules Change?
Sajad Lone argued that property rules do not fit the actual economic realities of Kashmir. He explained that a family might own a small house or land but still struggle financially. Because land and housing patterns differ between regions, property rules might treat people unfairly.
Impact on Government Jobs and Education
EWS status gives people a 10% reservation in government jobs and college admissions. Because Jammu has many more certificates, lawmakers noted that people in Jammu could claim a much larger share of these EWS job openings compared to people in Kashmir.
What Happens Next?
Due to the strong debate, J&K Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather stepped in. He directed the government to:
- Seriously examine the regional gap to ensure fairness for everyone.
- Study how other Indian states handle EWS criteria.
- Check application and rejection data to understand why the numbers vary so much.
For now, the rules remain unchanged, but the discussion has opened a major debate on how to fairly measure economic weakness across all parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
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