103rd Constitution Amendment Act 

103rd Constitution Amendment Act 

Part of: GS Prelims and Mains II – Polity – Constitution and recent amendments; Welfare/ Social issue 

About: 

• It provides for 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the economically weaker section in the unreserved category. 
• The Act amends Article 15 and 16 to provide for reservation based on economic backwardness. 

For the purposes of this article 15 and article 16, “economically weaker sections” to be notified by the State from time to time on the basis of family income and other indicators of economic disadvantage. 

Important points: 

• The new clause (6) to Article 15 allows the government to carve reservation for the economically weaker sections of society in higher educational institutions, including private ones, whether they are aided or not by the State. Minority educational institutions are exempted.  
• Likewise, the new clause (6) to Article 16 provides for quota for economically deprived sections in the initial appointment in government services. 

Indra Sawhney case (1992) 

• Nine-judge Bench had fixed limit of 50% reservation ceiling 
• Judgment also had barred reservation solely on economic criterion 

Do you know? 

• Article 46 asks the government to promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the society. 

It provides reservation for: 

1. People who have an annual income of less than Rs 8 lakh, or 
2. People who own less than five acres of farm land, or 
3. People who have a house less than 1,000 sq feet in a town (or 100 sq yard in a notified municipal area).