The Union government is re-examining the University Grants Commission's equity rules introduced in January, aiming to address caste-based discrimination in educational institutions. The Supreme Court had stayed the regulations due to their 'prima facie vague and capable of misuse' provisions.
The Union government has announced that it is reconsidering the 2026 University Grants Commission Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, as reported by Live Law. These regulations were stayed by the Supreme Court on January 29 due to their controversial provisions. The court observed that the rules might be vague and potentially subject to misuse.
The protests against these regulations were led by upper-caste students who argued that they could result in discrimination against them. Their main concern was the lack of measures provided in the rules to counteract ‘false complaints’.
The court had mandated the Union government to rework the regulations and suspended their operation until then. On Thursday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi, and V Mohana that the review was underway. Advocate Indira Jaising, representing the petitioners, requested the court to establish a timeline for the government's decision.
The bench, however, postponed the case hearing for four weeks without discussing the matter further.
The University Grants Commission's equity rules were enacted in response to a public interest litigation filed before the Supreme Court by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, two students from marginalized communities who tragically took their lives after facing caste-based harassment. The petition requested measures to combat and alleviate caste-based discrimination in educational institutions.
The UGC's equity rules obligate institutions to establish special committees, helplines, and monitoring teams to handle complaints, particularly from members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. The commission initially released equity rules for higher education institutions in 2012, requiring them to establish Equal Opportunity Cells and Anti-Discrimination Officers. However, these rules lacked provisions for action against non-compliant institutions.
In contrast, the 2026 rules necessitate the commission to set up a monitoring committee to supervise their implementation. Institutions that fail to adhere to these regulations may face consequences such as being barred from participating in the commission's schemes, offering degree programs and online courses, and being removed from the list of institutions eligible for central grants.
Source:
Scroll.in
