Government Job Reservation Rules in India — How to Apply Online
Complete guide to reservation in government jobs — SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwD percentages, age relaxation, creamy layer, and latest rules.
What is Reservation in Government Jobs?
Reservation is a system of affirmative action in India that reserves a certain percentage of seats in government jobs, educational institutions, and legislatures for historically disadvantaged communities. It is provided under Articles 15(4), 16(4), and 46 of the Indian Constitution.
Reservation applies to:
- Central government jobs (UPSC, SSC, Railways, Banking, Defence)
- State government jobs (state PSCs, state-level recruitment)
- Public sector undertakings (PSUs)
- Central and state educational institutions (admissions)
Category-wise Reservation Percentages (Central Government)
| Category | Reservation | Constitutional Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 15% | Article 16(4) |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 7.5% | Article 16(4) |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 27% | Article 16(4), Mandal Commission |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% | 103rd Amendment, Article 16(6) |
| Persons with Disabilities (PwD) | 4% | Rights of PwD Act, 2016 |
| Ex-Servicemen | 10% (Group C & D) | Ex-Servicemen Re-employment Order |
| Total reserved | ~59.5% (excluding horizontal) |
Note: The Supreme Court's Indra Sawhney judgment (1992) capped total reservation at 50%. EWS (10%) was added beyond this cap through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment, upheld by the Supreme Court in Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India (2022).
Detailed Category Rules
Scheduled Castes (SC) — 15%
- Eligibility: Must belong to a caste listed in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order
- Certificate: Issued by Tehsildar/SDM of the district
- No creamy layer concept — all SC persons are eligible regardless of income
- Age relaxation: 5 years in central government exams
- Fee exemption: Application fee waived in UPSC, SSC, Railways, and most central exams
Scheduled Tribes (ST) — 7.5%
- Eligibility: Must belong to a tribe listed in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order
- Certificate: Issued by Tehsildar/SDM; may require verification by District Level Scrutiny Committee in some states
- No creamy layer — all ST persons eligible
- Age relaxation: 5 years in central government exams
- Fee exemption: Application fee waived in most central exams
- Special consideration: Some posts in tribal areas are reserved exclusively for local ST candidates
Other Backward Classes (OBC) — 27%
- Eligibility: Must belong to an OBC caste listed in the Central List of OBCs maintained by NCBC
- Creamy layer exclusion: OBC persons from the creamy layer are NOT eligible for reservation
Creamy Layer Criteria (Current)
| Category | Creamy Layer Limit |
|---|---|
| Parents' annual income | Above ₹8 lakh (as of latest revision) |
| Parents in Group A/B government service | Creamy layer (child not eligible) |
| Parents in constitutional posts | Creamy layer |
| Parents in armed forces (Colonel & above) | Creamy layer |
| Parents owning wealth above threshold | Creamy layer |
Note: The creamy layer income limit was ₹8 lakh as per the latest central government notification. Some states have different limits. The government periodically revises this threshold.
- OBC certificate must be in the central government format for central jobs and mention "non-creamy layer"
- Age relaxation: 3 years in central government exams
- Fee: Reduced fee in some exams (not always waived)
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) — 10%
- Introduced: January 2019 via 103rd Constitutional Amendment
- Eligibility: General category persons (not SC/ST/OBC) with:
- Family annual income below ₹8 lakh
- Agricultural land below 5 acres
- Residential flat below 1,000 sq ft
- Residential plot below 100 sq yards (notified municipality) or 200 sq yards (non-notified)
- Certificate: Issued by Tehsildar/SDM, valid for one financial year
- Age relaxation: None (treated as general category for age)
- Fee: Same as general category in most exams
Persons with Disabilities (PwD) — 4%
Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, 4% of vacancies are reserved:
| Disability Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| Blindness and low vision | 1% |
| Deaf and hard of hearing | 1% |
| Locomotor disability (including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, muscular dystrophy) | 1% |
| Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, mental illness | 1% |
- Eligibility: Minimum 40% disability certified by a government medical board
- Certificate: Disability certificate (UDID card) from swavlambancard.gov.in
- Age relaxation: 10 years for all categories (General PwD: 10 years, OBC PwD: 13 years, SC/ST PwD: 15 years)
- PwD reservation is horizontal — it applies across all vertical categories (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, General)
Ex-Servicemen — 10% (Group C & D)
- Eligibility: Retired personnel of Army, Navy, Air Force, and certain paramilitary forces
- Reservation: 10% in Group C (clerical) and Group D (multi-tasking) posts
- Age relaxation: Service period + 3 years (effectively allows ex-servicemen to apply well beyond normal age limit)
- Priority: Disabled ex-servicemen get first priority within the 10% quota
- Dependents: Some states extend reservation to dependents of ex-servicemen/war widows
Age Relaxation Rules (Central Government)
| Category | Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | +5 years |
| OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) | +3 years |
| EWS | No relaxation |
| PwD (General) | +10 years |
| PwD + OBC | +13 years |
| PwD + SC/ST | +15 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | Service period + 3 years |
| Departmental candidates | +5 years (for central govt employees) |
| J&K domicile (1980-89) | +5 years |
| Women (some state exams) | +5 years (varies by state) |
Note: Age relaxation in state government exams varies. Check the specific exam notification.
How Reservation Works — Roster System
The government uses a 200-point roster system (since 2018) for implementing reservation:
- Each post in a cadre/group is assigned a roster point (1 to 200)
- Points are allocated to categories based on their reservation percentage
- Point 1 is always Unreserved (UR)
- SC points appear at positions 1 (UR), 8, 15, 22, etc.
- ST points at 3, 17, 30, etc.
- OBC points at 4, 6, 10, 12, etc.
If reserved category candidates are not available, the post remains vacant for backlog (SC/ST) or gets filled by general merit (OBC/EWS).
Reservation in Promotion
- SC/ST: Reservation in promotion is allowed under Article 16(4A) (added by 77th Amendment)
- OBC/EWS: No reservation in promotion — reservation applies only at the time of direct recruitment
- Carry-forward rule: Unfilled SC/ST vacancies can be carried forward for up to 3 recruitment years
- The Supreme Court in Jarnail Singh v. Lachhmi Narain Gupta (2018) upheld reservation in promotions for SC/ST but said states must collect quantifiable data on inadequacy of representation
Key Supreme Court Rulings
| Case | Year | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Indra Sawhney v. Union of India | 1992 | 50% cap on reservation, creamy layer for OBC |
| M. Nagaraj v. Union of India | 2006 | States must show backwardness data for promotion quota |
| Jarnail Singh v. Lachhmi Narain Gupta | 2018 | Upheld promotion reservation, no need to prove backwardness for SC/ST |
| Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India | 2022 | Upheld 10% EWS reservation (103rd Amendment) |
| State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh | 2024 | States can create sub-classifications within SC/ST categories |
State-wise Reservation (Total %)
Some states have total reservation exceeding 50%:
| State | Total Reservation | Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | 69% | Protected under 9th Schedule |
| Chhattisgarh | 72% (proposed) | Includes OBC 27% + ST 32% |
| Maharashtra | 52% + Maratha (under litigation) | SEBC quota contested |
| Karnataka | 56% | Includes 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B sub-categories |
| Rajasthan | 54% | Includes EWS and MBC |
Important Tips
- Always carry the correct format certificate — central government jobs need certificates in the prescribed format (not state format)
- OBC certificate must mention "Non-Creamy Layer" — a general OBC certificate won't work for central reservations
- EWS certificate is valid for one year only — get a fresh one for each recruitment cycle
- PwD candidates should get UDID card from swavlambancard.gov.in — it is increasingly required
- Check state-specific rules — reservation percentages and categories differ significantly between states
FAQs
Q1. Can an OBC candidate apply in the general/unreserved category?
A. Yes, any reserved category candidate can apply in the unreserved category if they meet the general eligibility criteria (age, qualification). They will be treated as general for that application — no age relaxation or fee concession.
Q2. What is the difference between vertical and horizontal reservation?
A. Vertical reservation is category-based (SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC 27%, EWS 10%). Horizontal reservation cuts across all vertical categories — examples include PwD (4%), ex-servicemen (10%), and women (varies). A SC-PwD candidate is counted in both SC and PwD quota.
Q3. Can a general category person get benefit of EWS reservation?
A. Only if they belong to the general/unreserved category (not SC/ST/OBC) and their family income is below ₹8 lakh with assets below the prescribed limits. The EWS certificate is issued by the Tehsildar/SDM.
Q4. Is reservation available in private sector jobs?
A. Currently, there is no reservation in private sector jobs at the central level. Some states (Haryana, Jharkhand) have enacted laws reserving 75% of lower-salary jobs for locals, but these are domicile-based, not caste-based.
Q5. What happens if reserved seats are not filled?
A. For SC/ST: unfilled vacancies are carried forward as backlog for up to 3 years. If still unfilled, they may be filled on a special recruitment drive. For OBC/EWS: unfilled seats after reasonable effort are de-reserved and filled from general merit.
Q6. Does reservation apply in UPSC Civil Services?
A. Yes, full reservation applies in UPSC CSE — SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC (27%), EWS (10%), PwD (4%). Reserved category candidates also get more attempts: OBC — 9 attempts, SC/ST — unlimited (till age limit), General — 6 attempts.
Q7. Can a person claim reservation under two categories (e.g., SC + PwD)?
A. Yes, because SC is a vertical category and PwD is a horizontal category. The person gets benefits of both — SC age relaxation + PwD age relaxation (total 15 years), and is adjustable against both quotas.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with any government department. Reservation rules change through legislation and court orders — always check the latest exam notification for current rules.
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