'Are We Going In A Regressive Direction?': Supreme Court Stays UGC Equity Rules Amid Row

Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 13:35 IST

The Supreme Court said the unity of India must be reflected in all educational institutions, while hearing a plea challenging the recent UGC equity rules.

The recent UGC equity rules have sparked nationwide protests. (Image: PTI)

In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the recent UGC equity regulations, calling them “vague" and prone to misuse, and stressed that the unity of India must be reflected in all educational institutions.

The top court heard a petition challenging the recent UGC regulations, which have sparked nationwide controversy. The petitions against the UGC equity regulations have been filed by Mritunjay Tiwari, Advocate Vineet Jindal and Rahul Dewan, who argued that the new rules promote discrimination against general classes.

The counsel for the petitioners said that any legal definition of caste-based discrimination must be founded on intelligible differentia. Another counsel raised concerns over ragging, saying a general category student might be treated differently based on identity. He also pointed out that the regulations focus solely on caste-based issues without realising the ground realities of campus life.

ALSO READ: What Is UGC’s New Equality Regulation, And Why Has It Sparked Nationwide Controversy?

‘Unity Of India Must Be Reflected’

The bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that some communities are enjoying better privileges than others. “In most states now, even the legislature has realised that even in reserved committees, people have become haves and have nots," CJI Kant remarked.

“After 75 years (of Independence), whatever we have gained towards a casteless society… are we going in a regressive direction?" he added. Justice Bagchi observed that Article 15(4) empowered the states to make special laws for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, but warned against any framework that could lead to social segregation within educational institutions.

“The unity of India must be reflected in educational institutions. I hope we don’t go to segregated schools like US where blacks and whites went to different schools," he said.

SC Calls UGC Rules ‘Vague’

CJI Kant observed that prima facie the language of the new regulations appeared “vague" and needed to be modulated so it could not be exploited. The bench also observed that the Union government could consider setting up a committee of experts and scholars to express their concerns.

The court held that the UGC regulations 2026 will remain in abeyance and the 2012 regulations against discrimination will continue. “The petitioners cannot be left remediless. We are not on general category complaints; the redressal system for the marginalised should remain in place," CJI Kant said.

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre, scheduling the next hearing for March 19, when the petitions of the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi would be heard. The court said that orders and issues raised in other petitions would also be heard.

What’s The Row?

The government rolled out the University Grants Commission’s Equality Promotion Regulations in Higher Educational Institutions, 2026, aimed at curbing caste-based discrimination and ensuring a safe, dignified and inclusive academic environment for students.

However, several upper-caste organisations have argued that the provisions are vulnerable to misuse and could lead to false complaints against students and faculty from their communities. Yati Narasimhanand Giri, the head of Dasna Peeth in Ghaziabad, announced plans to launch a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against the UGC rules.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Nishikant Dubey lauded the Supreme Court and urged people to have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, adding that the new rules would be based on constitutional principles.

“All those “experts" hurling abuses at the UGC — I have been going to Parliament for the past two days, and not a single member from any political party has even considered it worthwhile to discuss this issue. On the other hand, the very government that, under the leadership of PM Modi, addressed the concerns of the poor by granting 10% reservation to the EWS is the one being abused," he said on X.

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