The NDA government on Wednesday told Parliament that there was no proposal to offer age relaxation to candidates under the economically weaker sections (EWS) quota in jobs and admission to educational institutions.

To a question from BJP leader Vivek Thakur on whether the government was considering a proposal to extend age relaxation to EWS candidates, minister of social justice and empowerment Thawaarchand Gehlot said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha: “No Sir.”

Last year Gehlot’s ministry had mooted a proposal to give such a relaxation as demanded by beneficiaries. The NDA government introduced the 10 per cent reservation in the EWS category in central government jobs and admission to educational institutions in 2019.

Before 2019, the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes were entitled to 15 per cent, 7.5 per cent and 27 per cent reservation, respectively.

The SCs, STs and OBCs get relaxations in age and qualifications under the eligibility criteria for jobs and admissions. Exceptions are also offered in the application fee.

Candidates in the general category are allowed to appear for the civil services exams six times, subject to an upper age limit of 32 years. OBC candidates get nine attempts and are offered a three-year relaxation in the age criteria. SC and ST candidates can appear in the exams as many times as they want till the age of 37.

The BJP leader in the Rajya Sabha, G.V.L. Narasimha Rao, had last year demanded that EWS candidates be also offered relaxations in age and qualification criteria.

To another question, Gehlot said there was no proposal to exempt EWS candidates from application fee for jobs and admissions.