New rules for colleges and universities are facing challenges in the Supreme Court and protests on campuses. These rules, called UGC's 2026 equity regulations, aim to stop discrimination. However, students and teachers have raised questions about how they are written and if they are fair.
What are the Equity Regulations?
The University Grants Commission (UGC) brought out new rules called UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026. These rules are meant to replace older guidelines from 2012. They will apply to all higher education places, including government and private colleges and universities. The goal is to make sure no one is treated unfairly based on their background, like caste or social status.
Under these new rules, every college and university must:
- Set up Equal Opportunity Centres .
- Create Equity Committees .
- Appoint Equity Officers .
- Have systems to solve complaints about unfair treatment at any time.
- Form Equity Squads to look into discrimination complaints.
Why People Are Opposing the Rules
Several groups have raised concerns. Student groups say that the Equity Committees do not include representatives from 'general category' students. They worry this might make decisions unfair.
Another issue is that the rules do not clearly state what happens if someone makes a false complaint. Some people feel that past versions of the rules had better protection against fake accusations.
The way 'discrimination' is defined in the rules is also being questioned. Teachers and students believe the definition is too wide and could lead to problems in classroom discussions or grading.
Supreme Court Challenge
A legal case, called a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), has been filed in the Supreme Court. The PIL asks the court to look at the new regulations. It argues that some parts of the rules are unfair and go against the Constitution's promise of equality.
The people filing the PIL also say that the UGC might have gone beyond its legal powers when making these rules. They believe the rules might weaken fair legal processes.
Protests and Responses
Students have protested at various colleges, asking for the rules to be changed or taken back. Some groups have also sent their concerns to the Ministry of Education.
The UGC has explained that the old ways of handling discrimination complaints were not working well. They said they are looking at the feedback they have received from students, teachers, and others.
