The Central government has told the Supreme Court it is considering setting up a committee to re-examine the UGC’s 2026 equity regulations, which were stayed by the court in January 2026.

What happened in court

  • On 5 November 2026, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant that the government is examining the issue so that “no section feels dissatisfied or apprehensive”
  • The court adjourned the batch of petitions for four weeks
  • The court had earlier suggested the government revisit the regulations so that “every student is taken care of”

Why the rules are controversial

  • The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 were notified on 13 January 2026 and apply to all higher educational institutions in India
  • They require institutions to set up Equal Opportunity Centres and Equity Committees to handle discrimination complaints
  • The rules were challenged because the definition of “caste-based discrimination” covers unfair treatment of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class students — petitioners say this excludes general-category students from the grievance mechanism
  • In January 2026, the Supreme Court stayed the 2026 regulations, calling the definition prima facie “vague” and open to misuse, and directed that the 2012 regulations continue to apply in the meantime

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