Fallout of UGC

When the UGC rolled out its new regulations named UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, overriding its previous 2012 regulations, there was a hue and cry over the internet. The bone of contention was Section 3(1)(c). It explicitly defined the aggrieved person, that is the person who are more likely to be discriminated against within the campus as a member belonging to the SC, ST, or OBC community, leaving out the General category from the definition. Though the regulation banned all form of discrimination against any person within the college campus, this particular section fueled the fire to the flame. Any law where the victim and perpetrator are already decided is bound to be misused.

Background

The new regulation can be traced back to the petition filed by the mothers of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi. They were allegedly discriminated against and later committed suicide. On the basis of this, the Supreme Court ordered UGC to draft new regulation and constituted a parliamentary committee to oversee the draft. When the central government notified the new regulation through a gazette notification, all hell broke loose. There were sporadic protests across India, with multiple petition filed against the new rules in the Supreme Court. An online campaign against the new regulations was started and BJP ministers and MPs were criticized for their stoic silence. The high command too maintained a strategic silence over this issue.

The Supreme Court Order

With multiple litigations filed in the Supreme Court, the matter was taken promptly. The Supreme Court heard both the submission and stayed the notification, terming the new regulations as “prima facie vague” and “capable of misuse”. Following the stay, the Court directed that the previous UGC Regulations of 2012 remain in force until further orders. It also ordered UGC to frame better regulations, encompassing all groups and communities.

The Way Forward

Though with the stay, the flame was doused, it created a deep distrust amongst the members of General Category. Once being the backbone of BJP, this group is trying to find a new political front which can give voice to its demand. The UGC issue seems to be the ‘tipping point’ and BJP might have overplayed its hand. Though the UGC would soon be replaced by the new Higher Education entity, the repercussions of this new regulations are yet to be seen in the forthcoming elections.