The recently-enacted University Grants Commission regulations on promoting equity in higher education institutes have sparked student protests in several cities, and led to a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the rules.

The 2026 University Grants Commission Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations were notified on January 13. The regulations have led to protests by upper caste students, who have argued that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.

The protesters have contended that the rules are biased against students from the general category as they do not provide for measures against “false complaints”.

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Here is more on this and other top updates:

  • A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging Section 3(c) of the regulations, which defines caste-based discrimination as discrimination against members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, Live Law reported. The petitioner, advocate Vineet Jindal, contended that the provision renders protection against caste discrimination non-inclusionary. He argued that the provision, in its current “exclusionary form”, denies grievance redressal mechanisms and institutional protection to individuals who do not belong to the three categories.
  • Commenting on the matter, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that “no one will have the right to misuse anything in the name of discrimination”, PTI reported. “Whether it is the UGC, the Government of India, or the state government, it will be their responsibility,” he said. “I assure you that whatever system or arrangement is made in India will be within the framework of the Constitution. As far as this issue is concerned, it comes under the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction, and I want to reassure you that no injustice, oppression or discrimination will be committed against anyone.”
  • Students from upper caste groups on Tuesday called for a protest outside the University Grants Commission headquarters in New Delhi, arguing that the regulations could spark chaos on campuses, PTI reported. Alokit Tripathi, a PhD student from Delhi University, told the news agency that the rules have no safeguards for those wrongly accused of discrimination, and are “draconian” in nature. He also argued that on account of a provision requiring the creation of “Equity Squads”, it would be “akin to living under constant surveillance inside the campus”.
  • A group of Lucknow University students also held a protest against the regulations on Tuesday, PTI reported. Protesters at gate number 1 shouted slogans “UGC, rollback”, and demanded that the regulations be withdrawn. A protest by Karni Sena is expected to take place at the city’s Parivartan Chowk at 4 pm, India Today reported.
  • Shyam Sundar Tripathi, the BJP Kisan Morcha’s vice president from Salon town in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district, resigned from his post, citing discontent about the UGC equity regulations, India Today reported. A day earlier, Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri had also submitted his resignation to protest “anti-Brahmin” government policies, after which the Uttar Pradesh government suspended him on charges of indiscipline.

What the rules mandate

The University Grants Commission’s new equity rules require institutes to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to address complaints, particularly from members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

The UGC had in 2012 first released equity rules for higher education institutes, which required them to set up Equal Opportunity Cells and Anti-Discrimination Officers. However, those rules did not provide for action against institutions that did not comply with them.

In contrast, the 2026 rules require the UGC to set up a monitoring committee to oversee their implementation.

Institutes that do not comply with the regulations can be barred from participating in the commission’s schemes, offering degree programmes and online courses, and can be removed from the list of institutes eligible to receive central grants.