The University Grants Commission (UGC) informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that it has drafted new regulations to prevent caste discrimination in higher educational institutions across India. The draft will soon be made public for feedback before being formally implemented.
Response to Supreme Court Petition
The UGC’s announcement follows a January Supreme Court directive in response to a petition filed six years ago by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi. The petition, represented by advocates Prasanna S. and Disha Wadekar, urged the court to take action against rampant caste discrimination in universities.
- Rohith Vemula, a Ph.D. scholar at Hyderabad Central University, and Payal Tadvi, a tribal student at Topiwala National Medical College, died by suicide in 2016 and 2019, respectively, after facing caste-based discrimination.
UGC’s Actions & Data Collection
The UGC formed an expert panel, led by Shailesh N. Zala, former Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, to review existing regulations. Based on the panel’s findings, the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2025 were drafted and are now awaiting approval.
Compliance with 2012 Regulations
The Supreme Court also asked the UGC to provide data on the implementation of its 2012 Regulations, which mandate the establishment of Equal Opportunity Cells in universities.
According to UGC’s affidavit:
- 3,067 Equal Opportunity Cells and 3,273 SC/ST Cells have been set up across universities.
- A total of 1,503 complaints of caste discrimination were received.
- Out of these, 1,426 complaints have been resolved.
- Under the 2012 Regulations, 1,314 complaints were registered, with 1,276 resolved.
Need for Stronger Enforcement
During the court hearing, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan emphasized the need for greater empathy from the UGC, while senior advocate Indira Jaising questioned whether universities were truly enforcing the regulations.
The UGC stated that it is making continuous efforts to eliminate discrimination by monitoring institutions, setting up helplines, and ensuring no complaint goes unresolved. Once finalized, the new regulations aim to provide better protection and equal opportunities for students from marginalized communities.