The source
DoPT Office Memorandum No. 36039/1/2019-Estt.(Res.) of 31 January 2019, paras 4.1–4.3, as reproduced in DoPT’s OM of 15 March 2024 (official PDF, checked 22 Oct 2026). These are the rules for Central Government jobs and admissions.
Test 1 — not covered by SC, ST or OBC reservation
EWS is for people not covered by the SC, ST or OBC reservation scheme.
Test 2 — family income below ₹8,00,000
Gross annual income of the family below ₹8 lakh from all sources — salary, agriculture, business, profession and others — for the financial year before the year you apply (para 4.1). ₹8,00,000 exactly does not pass; ₹7,99,999 does.
Who is “family”
You, your parents, your brothers and sisters below 18, your spouse and your children below 18 (para 4.3).
Test 3 — property limits
The family must not own any of these (para 4.1):
| Property | Rules you out at |
|---|---|
| Agricultural land | 5 acres or more |
| Residential flat | 1,000 sq ft or more |
| Residential plot in notified municipalities | 100 sq yards or more |
| Residential plot outside notified municipalities | 200 sq yards or more |
Property held in different places or cities is added together (para 4.2). Land in bigha, kanal or marla? These differ by state — convert with the land unit converter first.
State rules are different
States have their own EWS rules for state jobs and admissions. For those, read your state’s notification.
Who issues the certificate
The Income and Asset Certificate is issued by the authority your State or UT has notified (DoPT OM of 15 March 2024). Only that authority decides; a self-check is not a certificate.
Questions people ask
Is salary counted in EWS income?
Yes. The OM counts income from all sources — salary, agriculture, business, profession and others.
Is the EWS limit ₹8 lakh or less, or below ₹8 lakh?
Below ₹8 lakh. A family income of exactly ₹8,00,000 does not meet the Central rule.
Is my married sister’s income counted?
The OM’s family is you, your parents, siblings below 18, your spouse and children below 18 — read para 4.3 and ask the issuing authority for your case.
Do state EWS rules follow the same limits?
Not always. States set their own EWS rules for state jobs and admissions — check your state’s notification.