New Delhi: The Supreme Magistrate will on Thursday hear a petition challenging the recently notified University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026. The specimen has stirred widespread debate and protests in colleges wideness the country.
What did the petitioners say?
Seeking an urgent hearing, well-wisher Parth Yadav, seeming for the petitioners, told a seat comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that “the urgency is, there are unrepealable provisions in the regulations that have the effect of promoting favoritism versus people belonging to the unstipulated classes. My specimen is ‘Rahul Dewan and Ors vs Union’.”
Responding to this, CJI Kant, "We know what is happening. Make sure defects are cured. We will list it," and asked the counsel to cure defects, if any, in the petition.
What’s the petition about?
The petitioner says that the rules recognise favoritism only versus Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), leaving unstipulated category individuals without any protection.
The 2026 regulations, which was notified on January 13, replace the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, which were largely newsy in nature.
The plea claims that regulation 3(c) of the 2026 rules has a non-inclusionary definition of caste-based discrimination. It says this tideway may violate fundamental rights to equality and equal protection under the Constitution. The petitioner has urged the magistrate to uncontrived the UGC to prefer a caste-neutral definition that protects any student or staff member facing caste bias.
What is UGC rules 2026?
The UGC Rules 2026 have been implemented from January 15. These rules wield to all universities, colleges, and higher education institutions in India. They outline provisions for the insemination of Equal Opportunity Commissions in every institution. The rules aim to prevent favoritism versus students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. Section 3(C) of these rules defines caste-based discrimination.
Why are people protesting?
Student groups and organisations from the upper caste communities oppose that while the UGC has provided protection versus favoritism for SC, ST, and OBC students, it has said nothing well-nigh students from the unstipulated category. Furthermore, there are objections to the fact that there is no provision for whoopee versus those who file false complaints.
Some upper-caste organisations are moreover taxing why people from the unstipulated category cannot be given protection under this law. Their treatise is that just as students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes can be victims of discrimination, so can upper-caste students.
