Live SC hearing on UGC regulations Live Updates: Plea challenging UGC's new regulations to be heard today

Students have staged massive protests in Lucknow University against UGC regulations. As per students, the protests will continue until it is withdrawn as it is not in the interest of the students and would create divisions among students in the university campuses. Police has been deployed to maintain the law and order situations. 

- Reported by Vishal Singh 

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the UGC Higher Education Regulations. The plea was filed by Advocate Vineet Jindal

Following directions from the Supreme Court, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has set a new set of regulations - Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 to constitute a structured framework for grievance redressal and support disadvantaged groups across universities and colleges. The petition was filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi.   

The Supreme Court will hear petitions against UGC's new regulations today, January 29. According to the supreme court, the bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi will take up the matter for hearing later in the day today. The petitions against UGC's new regulations have been filed by Advocate Vineet Jindal, Mrityunjay Tiwari and Rahul Dewan. 

The UGC's new regulations has created an uproar over social media, with anguish expressed over how the terminology - "Caste-based discrimination" is defined in the UGC regulation. "Caste-based discrimination means discrimination only on the basis of caste or tribe against the members of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes," as mentioned on the UGC regulations. #ShameonUGC is one of the top trends on micro blogging platform - X as netizens are criticising the UGC's new regulations as anti-general category laws

Following directions from the Supreme Court, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has set a new set of regulations - Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 to constitute a structured framework for grievance redressal and support disadvantaged groups across universities and colleges. The petition was filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi.   

The UGC's new regulations has created an uproar over social media, with anguish expressed over how the terminology - "Caste-based discrimination" is defined in the UGC regulations.  

Under UGC's new regulations, the centre will be responsible for  implementation of equity-related policies and programmes, to provide academic, financial guidance to disadvantaged groups and to coordinate with authorities and civil society. 

As per the UGC's new rules, every higher education institution should establish an equal opportunity centre and will coordinate with Civil society groups, police and district administration, faculty members, staff, local media, district administration and police. The centre will coordinate with District and State Legal Services Authorities to facilitate legal aid.