The Bihar government has taken a momentous step towards advancing social equality and fostering inclusivity by introducing a pioneering 10% reservation quota for individuals classified under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category. This historic decision extends the reservation not only to the state’s judicial services but also to government-operated law colleges and universities. The formal approval for this significant move was granted by the Bihar cabinet, with the announcement made by Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat) S Siddhartha, coinciding with the release of the state’s caste-based survey results.
The motivation behind this reservation policy lies in the state’s unwavering commitment to providing opportunities to those hailing from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, aligning its actions with the revealing insights from the recent caste-based survey.
The Bihar government’s initiative encompasses a dedicated 10% reservation specifically earmarked for individuals belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). This reservation will be applicable in two pivotal domains:
- Judicial Services Inclusion: The EWS reservation will now extend to Bihar’s judicial services, a pivotal step towards nurturing inclusivity and diversity within the legal profession. This decision is anticipated to open doors for individuals from economically marginalized backgrounds to pursue careers in the field of judiciary.
- Accessible Legal Education: To ensure greater access to quality legal education, the reservation will also be applicable in state-managed law colleges and universities. This progressive move aligns with the government’s steadfast commitment to democratizing legal education and making it accessible to a wider cross-section of society.
A comprehensive notification detailing the implementation of the EWS reservation in these spheres is presently under development and will be issued by the relevant department in the near future. This notification will furnish comprehensive guidelines and procedures for the effective execution of the reservation policy.
To give legal standing to this historic decision, the Bihar government has ratified two crucial amendments:
- Bihar Higher Judicial Service (Amendment) Manual 2023: This amendment facilitates the incorporation of EWS reservation in the higher judicial services, ensuring equitable representation within the judicial system.
- Bihar Civil Services (Judicial Wing) (Recruitment) (Amendment) Manual 2023: This amendment extends the ambit of EWS reservation to the recruitment process in the judicial wing of the Bihar Civil Services, aligning it with the broader commitment to creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged sections of society.
Bihar Information:
- Capital: Patna
- Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
- Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar