Annual family income of Rs2 lakh is the ceiling, while the creamy layer has been completely kept out of the purview of the quota

The department of higher education has announced the criteria for eligibility to seek admission to engineering courses for the next academic year under the quota for poor and meritorious students.

A government order issued on Tuesday, has said that all those not covered under the creamy layer policy laid out in government order No SWD225BCA2000 and dated 30/3/2002, will be eligible for availing admission under this quota.

The state government had decided to distribute 50% of seats under the government quota for the poor and meritorious students who have earned competitive ranks in Common Entrance Test.

The seats carry an annual tuition fee of Rs15,000.

Meritorious students who have earned competitive ranks in the CET and whose parent's/guardian's annual income does not exceed the stipulation laid out in the 2002 government order will be eligible for the seat under the quota.

The candidates will have to provide during the counseling a certificate from the jurisdictional tahsildar certifying their annual family income.

Effectively, the income ceiling for the quota has now been fixed at Rs2 lakh per annum.

The creamy layer concept does not cover Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and also the Category I of the backward classes. So students belonging to these categories are eligible for the poor meritorious quota.

The creamy layer applies only to Categories II(A), II(B), III(A) and III(B). Students belonging to these categories but not falling under the creamy layer will also be eligible for the quota.

Rashmi Belur/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication