Students stage a protest against the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, near University of Lucknow (Source: PTI)
On January 13, the Union government notified new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form equity committees, centres and squads to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity. However, the rules did not sit well with some students, who felt it could lead to chaos on campuses.
The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, mandates that these equity committees must include members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), persons with disabilities (PwD) and women with no mention of general category persons in the squads.
The contentious rules have created a furore, with many students up in arms claiming it is “non-inclusionary” and fails to protect students and faculty who do not belong to reserved categories.
The document was issued after the Supreme Court told the UGC to submit the new regulations while hearing a plea by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, who questioned the 2012 UGC regulations. While the 2012 guidelines expected universities to implement anti-discriminatory measures, they were not effective, which is why they were challenged in the Supreme Court.
Rohith was a PhD student at the University of Hyderabad, and in 2015, the university allegedly stopped paying his stipend of Rs 25,000, reportedly due to his involvement in the Ambedkar Students’ Association. He was later blamed for the assault on an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leader and was suspended, after which he died by suicide in 2016.
Payal was a 26-year-old postgraduate medical student at BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai, who died by suicide in 2019 after her seniors repeatedly attacked her with caste-based slurs, threats and taunted her in front of her patients.
The mothers had requested the top court to establish regulatory bodies, mechanisms and orientations to curb caste-based hatred and discrimination at universities.
This paved the way for the implementation of the new UGC regulations, which have now sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could instead lead to discrimination against them.
The regulations mandate every higher education institute in India to have an Equal Opportunity Centre (EOC), an Equity Committee, and Equity Squads.
The EOC is to supervise the implementation of policies associated with the socially disadvantaged groups, coordinate with the district administration and police and give legal aid when needed.
The EOC will have a 10-member Equity Committee, chaired by the institution head. Five members are required to be from the reserved categories – OBCs, SCs, STs, PwDs, and women. They are to meet within 24 hours to address complaints and subsequently submit the report to the head of the institution within 15 days.
The head of the institute is responsible for initiating action within seven days. If the committee finds a complaint valid, the institution must respond appropriately. This could include administrative actions, corrective steps on campus, and support for the complainant as per institutional policy. Any criminal offence will be referred to the police immediately.
Equity Squads are to remain aware of and prevent discrimination on campus. They must move around the campus and visit the vulnerable spots frequently. Moreover, institutions will have a 24-hour “Equity Helpline” for such incidents to be reported, and Equity Ambassadors will be appointed to work as “torch bearers” of equity.
Those protesting are the non-reserved category students who fear that the burden of proof of discrimination will entirely be shifted to the accused, along with there being no protection for those wrongly accused.
Another major concern for those opposing the regulations was the removal of “false complaints” from the regulations, which earlier provided fines and disciplinary action if a case was recorded under “false complaints of discrimination.” They further demanded that the identity of the accuser not be kept private in case of false complaints.
Since the backlash, groups of students from colleges across Delhi held a protest outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) headquarters on Tuesday, January 27.
At least 100 students participated in the protest and submitted a list of demands to the UGC, including a complete rollback of the regulations.
“The UGC officials said they will consider our demand to appoint one member from the general community to the Equity Squad. Secondly, the commission assured us that it will come up with a solution within 15 days, that is, before February 12. And lastly, they said the identity of the accuser will not be kept private in order to discourage false complaints,” a student told news agency PTI.
Those behind the protest appealed for unity of the student community, urging them to say “No to UGC discrimination.”
The issue drew criticism not just from general category students but from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who submitted resignation letters in protest.
On Monday, January 26, 11 BJP office-bearers in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, resigned through a letter, claiming they will halt participation in party activities. “By implementing the UGC law, our children’s future is being jeopardised, and due to this, we are resigning from our positions,” their letter read.
They said that the regulations in actuality target upper-caste members of the society in “reverse discrimination.”
Former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader Sanjay Singh said, “Justice is meaningful only when it is equal and fair to all. The lack of balance in the UGC’s new equity regulations is creating an atmosphere of anxiety and apprehension within educational institutions. Why is the definition of discrimination so limited?”
Manan Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP, said the decision does not benefit anyone and was made without clear reasoning.
“Dividing people on the basis of caste is just not right. Through this, they are trying to divide Hindu society on caste lines. No one will benefit. There has to be equal treatment for everyone in colleges and educational institutions. Ragging is wrong and the law should apply to all. The way protests are taking place across the country, I am sure the government will consider it and take action. The UGC itself should review and roll back its decision,” he said.
This post was last modified on January 27, 2026 7:26 pm