The Centre has set up a committee to frame criteria for the identification of economically weaker sections (EWS) for quota benefits, after the Supreme Court questioned the existing parameters.

The panel, formed by the social justice ministry, has as members Ajay Bhushan Pandey, former finance secretary; Prof. V.K. Malhotra, member secretary of the Indian Council of Social Science Research; and Sanjeev Sanyal, principal economic adviser to the Centre.

The panel is to suggest new criteria in three weeks.

The top court had asked the government to explain how the same income criteria — annual earning of Rs 8 lakh — could be used to decide eligibility for EWS quota and identify the creamy layer among OBSc who would not receive reservation benefits.