After 16% Maratha quota, first Maharashtra government job drive to fill 3,914 posts

State mulls providing additional 10% quota to EWS from next phase of recruitment

The Maharashtra government has begun its first recruitment drive, after the 16% reservation for Marathas in government jobs and educational institutes came into effect. The state provided the community reservation last November under socially and educationally backward class (SEBC) category.

Members of the Maratha community celebrate the announcement of the 16% reservation for Marathas at Azad Maidan in Mumbai in November. (HT FILE)

While the first phase of recruitment — advertisements for which have been published — will cover 3,914 vacancies in six departments, the next phase will cover 23,860 vacancies and is expected to begin later this month.

More importantly, the state is mulling to additionally provide a 10% reservation to the economically weaker section (EWS) from the general category, following the Centre’s decision in January. Persons who are not covered under the existing scheme of reservations and whose family income is below ₹8 lakh are identified as EWS for the benefit of reservation.

This would effectively mean reservation in the state would touch 78% from the existing 68%. Before the Maratha quota, it stood at 52%.

“A proposal for this [10% EWS quota] is likely to be placed before the state cabinet for approval in the next 15 days,” said a state general administration department (GAD) official, who did not wish to be named.

A GAD letter sent to departments on Thursday stated the government is ensuring that people coming under EWS category will also be made part of the on-going recruitment drive.

The letter states that all the advertisements to be issued from now on will need to have a note that the reservation quota for general category may get changed, as the government will have to provide reservation to the EWS.

This letter was sent so that all departments carry the note in their future advertisements.

“We have issued notices for 4,000 vacancies so far. The notices for rest of vacancies are yet to be issued. The decision to add the note in the job notices henceforth means people coming under EWS category will also get a reservation in the recruitment drive for the remaining vacancies,” said the GAD official.