New Delhi: Maintaining the previous pattern in the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates, despite lagging behind in the interview round, overtook Economically Weaker Section (EWS) candidates in the final merit list of 2025.The final 2025 cut-off (Mains + Interview) for EWS is 926 while for OBC is 931. The cut-off in the main exam alone was 706 for EWS and 717 for OBC. The cut-off marks are the minimum qualifying scores for a social group availing the quota, and they vary across SC, ST, OBC and EWS categories. The final scores reversed the trend where EWS had been ahead of OBC quota beneficiaries due to higher scores in the interview round. Not only should OBCs outperform EWS this year, but doing so despite consistently underperforming at the interview stage signals an interesting development.‘Higher written marks of OBC result in better cut-off than EWS’“Despite some reduction in the marks of OBCs in the interview, their marks in the written examination were so high that it resulted in a better final cut-off compared to the Economically Weaker Section,” said lawyer Shashank Ratnu, an expert in issues related to OBCs and reservation.The EWS quota was created in 2019 to provide 10% reservation to economically weaker persons among ‘general’ communities, while the mandal quota for backward classes has been in place since 1995.The economically weaker sections lagged behind the backward classes in the main examinations in 2023 and 2024. But the competitive dynamics between the two reserved categories proved complex, with the forwards winning the final examination due to higher marks in the interview.In CSE-2024, the cut-off for EWS in the main examination was 696 marks, while that for OBC was 702. But in the final result after the interview, the cut-off merit of EWS was 917 marks, while that of OBC was 910.A year before that, in the main exam, OBC had achieved a cut-off of 712 compared to 706 for EWS. But in the final, OBC with a cut-off of 919 lagged behind EWS, whose minimum marks were 923.Shashank Ratnu said, “The high interview marks for EWS in such a short time since the implementation of reservation raises question marks on the necessity, percentage and stringency of the criteria for this category.”Interestingly, a difference has been seen in the merit list for OBC and EWS in CSE. In view of the new EWS quota introduced in 2019, OBCs dominated the Mains and Finals in both 2019 and 2020.While it was surprising that EWS, a group with less social disability, lagged behind OBCs, it was seen as one of the teething troubles of the new quota regime, with the wider eligible group unaware of its processes and norms. Later, EWS bridged the gap with OBCs and scored higher marks in the examinations.

New Delhi: After Sriharikota The spaceport and the upcoming launch port at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu, India’s third satellite launch center are likely to come up in Gujarat.Gujarat Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia recently announced in the state assembly that a proposed launch site has been identified near Gir Somnath district along the Arabian Sea coast.Speaking on budgetary demands for his department, Modhwadia said the site was identified after consultation with space regulator and promoter Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACE). “As per our request, IN-SPACe has found a suitable location which can be developed as a launchpad to put satellites into orbit just like Sriharikota. That location is between the Union Territory of Diu and Kodinar. We are now moving in that direction,” the minister said.Speaking to TOI, a senior space official said, “A state government or even a private entity can build a satellite launch center in India. The process has become streamlined, especially after reforms in the space sector. But conducting satellite launch operations from that site will require prior authorization from IN-SPACe, which acts as a single-window nodal agency under the Department of Space.”According to the Norms, Guidelines and Procedures (NGP) for implementation of the Indian Space Policy-2023, “Any space activity, which will, inter alia, include the launch, operation, guidance and/or re-entry of any space object, as mentioned in Section 5 of the Indian Space Policy-2023, will require authorization from IN-SPACe”.Since the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) handles airspace regulation, it issues Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) to warn aircraft before any satellite or rocket launch. Therefore, before any rocket launch, the role of DGCA is also important.As part of its initiative to promote the space sector, the Gujarat government is also setting up a 100-acre Gujarat Space Park near Sanand to attract companies working in space technology and satellite manufacturing. Minister Modhwadia said that the facility is expected to house space technology based industrial units, which will help in creating a comprehensive ecosystem for the region.“I am happy to say that Aegista Aerospace has started the manufacturing of small satellites at a cost of Rs 500 crore and the process of allotting land for them has started,” the minister said in the Assembly. According to him, this facility will become India’s first private sector satellite manufacturing plant capable of handling end-to-end operations. These initiatives aim to establish Gujarat as a major hub in India’s rapidly growing space sector.India’s primary spaceport at Sriharikota, officially known as the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) SHAR, became operational with the launch of an RH-125 sounding rocket on October 9, 1971. The spaceport has so far launched 434 foreign satellites, 134 spacecraft missions and 18 satellites launched by private players or students.India’s second spaceport is under construction at Kulasekarapattinam in TN, Rs 985.9 crore has been allocated for the project, and it is targeted to be commissioned this financial year.