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Which one of the following amendments to the Constitution of India has introduced reservations in education and in public employment for people from the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of society?
Explanation
The Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019 introduced a 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in both educational institutions and public employment [2]. This amendment inserted Clause (6) into Article 15 and Article 16 of the Indian Constitution. Article 15(6) enables the State to make special provisions for the advancement of EWS, including reservations in private and government-aided educational institutions, while Article 16(6) allows for reservations in government appointments. This quota is independent of existing reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. The bill was originally introduced as the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019, before being enacted as the 103rd Amendment [1]. In contrast, the 101st Amendment introduced GST, and the 102nd Amendment granted constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.
Sources
- [1] Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 8: FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES > p. 110
- [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Hundred_and_Third_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_of_India