EWS certificate for central jobs: who qualifies, who issues it, the format (checked October 2026)

Last checked: 29 October 2026

For anyone applying for a central government job under the 10% EWS quota who needs the Income and Asset Certificate, or who has been told their certificate has a mistake.

The EWS Income and Asset Certificate is issued by an officer your State or Union Territory names. Under the DoPT office memorandum of 31 January 2019, your family's gross annual income must be below Rs 8 lakh. You must not be covered by SC, ST or OBC reservation, and owning land or a home above set sizes rules you out.

Whose income and property count?

The 2019 memorandum (para 4.3) defines the family as the person seeking the benefit, their parents, brothers and sisters below 18, their spouse and children below 18. DoPT's FAQ of 19 September 2022 adds:

• Parents' income and property count even if you live separately from them (Q25).
• Brothers, sisters and children aged 18 or more are not counted (Q26).
• Grandparents' property not yet divided is not counted (Q4). Parents' property not yet divided is counted (Q1).
• Income means gross income, as for income tax, and gross salary (Q15, Q17). Monthly pension and family pension count (Q16).
• Land and property in different places or states are added together (para 4.2, FAQ Q2).

The property limits, and how DoPT says to measure them

Who issues the certificate now

The 2019 memorandum (para 5.1) listed the officers who could issue it: a District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Collector, Deputy Commissioner, Additional Deputy Commissioner, 1st Class Stipendiary Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Taluka Magistrate, Executive Magistrate or Extra Assistant Commissioner; a Chief Presidency Magistrate, Additional Chief Presidency Magistrate or Presidency Magistrate; a Revenue Officer not below the rank of Tehsildar; or the Sub-Divisional Officer of the area where you or your family normally live.

DoPT's office memorandum of 15 March 2024 changed this. It gives State Governments and UT Administrations the power to decide which authorities can issue the Income and Asset Certificate. It asks them to put the list of competent authorities on their websites, and says the 2019 instructions stand modified to that extent. So check your own state's revenue or e-District portal for the officer and the fee. The issuing officer checks your documents following the procedure your State or UT sets (2019 memorandum, para 5.2).

What the certificate must show

For central government posts the format cannot differ from state to state: it must follow Annexure-I (FAQ Q18). The Annexure-I certificate has:

• A certificate number, the date, and "Valid for the year" filled in.
• Your name, your father's, mother's or spouse's name, your permanent address with district, state and pin code, and an attested photograph.
• A statement that the family's gross annual income is below Rs 8 lakh for a named financial year, and that the family owns none of the listed property.
• A statement that you belong to a caste not recognised as SC, ST or OBC (Central List).
• The officer's signature with seal, name and designation. The seal or stamp with name and designation must be there (FAQ Q22).

Which financial year must it show?

Income is for the financial year before the year of application (para 4.1). The date that counts is the closing date for applications for the post, unless the recruiter fixes another date (para 5.3). DoPT's example (FAQ Q23): if the closing date is 1 August 2022, the certificate should show income for 2021-22 and be valid for 2022-23. If the validity year is blank, the recruiter should refer it back to the issuing officer. If neither the financial year nor the validity year is written, it is a major discrepancy and the application may be rejected. A certificate issued after that date, for a later financial year, is also treated as a major discrepancy (FAQ Q21).

Getting the certificate right, step by step

1. 1. Check you qualify

   Official contact

   Add up the family's gross income and property using the rules above. People in the Central List of SC, ST or OBC cannot use the central EWS quota, wherever they live (FAQ Q11). An OBC person whose caste is only in a State list can apply (FAQ Q12).

   Deadline

   Income is for the financial year before the year you apply.

2. 2. Apply to your state's competent authority

   Official contact

   Find the officer and the online service on your State or UT revenue or e-District portal. Ask for the central format (Annexure-I) if the certificate is for a central government job.

   Deadline

   Time limit set by your State or UT, not by DoPT (FAQ Q27). Apply well before the closing date of the job.

3. 3. Check the certificate

   Official contact

   Make sure the financial year, the "Valid for the year" line, your caste statement, and the officer's seal, name and designation are all there.

   Deadline

   Before the closing date for applications for the post.

4. 4. If something is wrong

   Official contact

   Ask the issuing officer to correct it, using the request below. Under para 5.4 a recruiter may appoint provisionally and verify the certificate through the issuing authority.

   Deadline

   Not set in the memorandum.

Other points in the 2019 memorandum and 2022 FAQ

• A person selected on merit can take an unreserved vacancy (para 7).
• There is no age relaxation and no extra attempts for EWS candidates: the rules for the General category apply (FAQ Q28).
• Each central government office must have a Grievance Redressal Officer for complaints of discrimination against EWS candidates in employment (para 9).
• The memorandum applies to vacancies notified on or after 1 February 2019 (para 11). Where the memorandum and the FAQ differ, the memorandum prevails.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 added Articles 15(6) and 16(6), which allow up to 10% EWS reservation in admissions and in civil posts, as the PIB reply of 5 August 2026 says. Rules for admissions and for state government jobs can differ; this page covers the central jobs rule only.

What the central rules do not publish

The DoPT documents we checked do not set a fee, a time limit, a list of documents to attach, or an appeal route for a refused certificate. Those are for each State or UT. Not published by DoPT. Where we have checked a state's own rules, see the EWS certificate hub.

Free request to correct or complete an EWS certificate

Free to copy. It uses the format points in DoPT's office memorandum of 31 January 2019 and its FAQ of 19 September 2022. Replace everything in [square brackets] and delete lines that do not apply.

To: The [designation of the issuing officer], [office address]

Subject: Request to correct my Income and Asset Certificate for Economically Weaker Sections, Certificate No. [number] dated [date]

Sir or Madam,

I, [your full name], son or daughter or spouse of [name], resident of [address with district and pin code], was issued the above Income and Asset Certificate by your office.

I need it for [name of post and recruiting body], for which the closing date for applications is [date]. Under DoPT office memorandum No. 36039/1/2019-Estt (Res) dated 31 January 2019, the certificate must follow the format at Annexure-I and show income for the financial year before the year of application.

The certificate has these problems:
[ ] The financial year of income is not written (it should be [for example 2025-26]).
[ ] The "Valid for the year" line is blank (it should be [for example 2026-27]).
[ ] The seal, name or designation of the officer is missing.
[ ] [any other error, for example a wrong name or address]

DoPT's FAQ of 19 September 2022 (Q22 and Q23) says these details must be on the certificate. I request you to issue a corrected certificate in the Annexure-I format. Copies of the certificate and my supporting documents are attached.

Place: [place]
Date: [date]
Signature: [your signature]
Mobile: [number]