The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, amid widespread protests and criticism across the country.
Issuing notice to the Centre and the University Grants Commission, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed that the 2026 regulations shall remain in abeyance and that the 2012 UGC Regulations will continue to operate until further orders.
The new regulations, notified on January 23, were challenged by multiple petitioners, who alleged that they are arbitrary, exclusionary, discriminatory, and violative of the Constitution as well as the UGC Act, 1956.
Invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure “complete justice,” the apex court stayed the implementation of the regulations.
During the hearing, the CJI-led Bench expressed serious concern over the potential impact of the new framework. “If we don’t intervene, it will have a dangerous impact. It will divide society and have grave repercussions,” the court observed.
The Bench also flagged concerns over Regulation 3(c), which defines caste-based discrimination, noting that the provision suffers from vagueness and could be misused. “The language needs to be re-modified,” the court said.
The petitioners contended that the regulations restrict the definition of caste-based discrimination exclusively to members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, thereby excluding individuals belonging to the general category from the protective framework, regardless of the nature or severity of discrimination faced by them.
They further argued that such exclusion denies general category students access to grievance redressal mechanisms, including Equal Opportunity Centres, equity helplines, inquiry committees and ombudsperson proceedings, amounting to impermissible state discrimination.
According to the petitioners, the denial of remedies on the basis of caste identity violates Articles 14, 15(1) and 21 of the Constitution.
The 2026 regulations were introduced with the stated objective of curbing caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions and mandate the establishment of special committees and helplines, particularly for students from SC, ST and OBC communities.
However, the framework has drawn sharp criticism, especially from students belonging to the general category, who argue that it institutionalises unequal access to grievance redressal.
The Supreme Court has listed the matter for further hearing on March 19.
