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.
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.
The equal opportunity centre constituted by the head of the institution will have representations from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), Women.
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.
Meanwhile, 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.
"The new UGC “Equity” Regulations 2026 shamelessly brand General Category students as perpetrators of violence on campuses—simply for being born into non-reserved families! Equity committees stacked against us, no protection from false claims, and campuses turning into caste battlegrounds.
Enough is enough! Every General Category family MUST prioritize safety from this toxic caste warfare in Indian universities. Send your kids ABROAD for higher education—where merit matters, not reservation vendettas," a post on X mentioned.
"The UGC's Equity Squad will be used to settle personal grudges or jeopardize careers, turning into a weapon that fosters a culture of fear on campuses, for vague definitions of discrimination, the apparent targeting of general category (GC) students," another post on X read.
