‘Opportunity To Complain’ Or ‘More Discrimination’? INDIA Bloc Split Over UGC Rules

Last Updated:January 27, 2026, 16:53 IST

Priyanka Chaturvedi further warned about the possibility of false cases and the lack of clarity on penalties if such complaints are proven wrong.

People from upper caste communities stage a protest outside the University Grants Commission headquarters against new rules. (PTI)

Differences have emerged within the INDIA bloc over the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, with allies offering contrasting views on whether the framework addresses injustice or risks fresh discrimination on campuses.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav defended the new rules, saying the UGC had acted appropriately. “UGC has not done anything wrong. They have given the people the opportunity to complain about the injustice that was happening," he said, backing the mechanism for grievance redressal under the revised regulations.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, however, sharply criticised the guidelines, calling them “very unfortunate" and urging their withdrawal. While acknowledging that discrimination does exist in educational institutions, she said the new framework risks creating a binary of “oppressed" and “oppressors" through judgment built into the guidelines. Chaturvedi also raised concerns about subjectivity in deciding cases, questioning whether discrimination would be assessed through words, actions or perceptions.

She further warned about the possibility of false cases and the lack of clarity on penalties if such complaints are proven wrong. “If a student’s career is disrupted due to a false case, what will be the penalty?" she asked, adding that the guidelines could end up introducing more discrimination in the name of ending it. Chaturvedi said the rules should either be modified or withdrawn, and appealed to the Prime Minister and Home Minister to reconsider the basis of the decision and direct the Education Minister to act swiftly.

The reactions come even as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought to allay concerns, assuring that the law would not be misused and that there would be no discrimination in its implementation. The new UGC regulations, notified on January 13, update the 2012 framework but have drawn criticism, particularly from general category students, who fear the rules could work against them.

News politics ‘Opportunity To Complain’ Or ‘More Discrimination’? INDIA Bloc Split Over UGC Rules

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