Delhi LG clears proposal to raise EWS quota income ceiling to ₹5 lakh per annum

LG office officials said that the move would make education more accessible to all sections of society

Lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena approved the enhancement of the threshold limit of annual income from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh for EWS (economically weaker sections) and disadvantaged groups for admissions to private schools, officials with the LG office said on Monday.

LG VK Saxena. (Amit Shah-X)

They said the move would make education more accessible to all sections of society.

“The Delhi high court, in its order dated December 5, 2023, asked the Delhi government to increase the threshold limit from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh. However, the Delhi government submitted a file with a proposal to enhance the limit to ₹2.5 lakh in October 2024,” an official from the LG office said.

The LG, approving the proposal then, advised the CM to revisit the threshold and raise it to at least ₹5 lakh, citing an income limit of ₹8 lakh for higher education prescribed by the Government of India.

In a second order in November, the high court observed that its previous order was disobeyed, following which the threshold was increased to ₹5 lakh and sent to LG for approval.

Ashok Agarwal, a lawyer and advisor to Social Jurist, a body that works to help the underprivileged, said, “This is a welcome move and a lot of children will benefit now. I would say the limit should be increased to ₹8 lakh. In 2006, the salaries of Class 4 government employees were revised due to the fifth pay commission and they were no longer in the criteria of EWS according to the then limit. As a result, I remember some kids were even expelled.”

Sneha (who goes by her first name), a parent to a first-year humanities student, said, “When my kid was in school, she was studying under the EWS quota. But I remember some of her friends could not avail of the same because of the criteria. It was a real struggle for them to get their kids enrolled in good schools. This is naturally a great move to ensure more students get access to the best education.”

Aprajita Gautam, president of the Delhi Parents’ Association, said, “This is no doubt a welcome move. However, the government should also ensure that the 25% seats allotted to EWS students is fully filled every academic year because several private schools do not and this move will naturally increase the competition.”