New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has raised serious concerns over the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026. She questioned the scope, clarity, and selective implementation of the rules, warning that poorly designed regulations could increase tensions on university campuses.
Responding to the UGC notification issued in January 2026, Chaturvedi expressed her worries about unequal legal protections on the social media platform ‘X’. She said, “While any form of caste-based discrimination on campus is wrong, India has seen students suffer from its consequences. Should not the law be inclusive and guarantee protection to all? Why is there discrimination in enforcing the law?”
She also highlighted the lack of safeguards against misuse, asking, “What happens in false cases? How is guilt established? How is discrimination defined — by words, actions, or thoughts?” She insisted that the law must be clear, precise, and uniformly applied to everyone. “Instead of creating a hostile atmosphere on campuses, I urge the UGC to either withdraw or revise the notification,” she added.
The UGC’s 2026 regulations aim to strengthen anti-discrimination mechanisms in higher education institutions. The rules mandate the establishment of equity committees, equal opportunity cells, helplines, and monitoring squads in colleges and universities. The regulations define discrimination broadly, including not only explicit acts but also indirect bias and systematic exclusion.
According to the UGC, these rules were formulated in response to a 118 percent rise in discrimination complaints between 2019 and 2023, with particular focus on protecting Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
The notification has received mixed reactions. Critics from the general category argue that the rules are one-sided, providing insufficient protection to the accused and potentially targeting upper-caste students unfairly. Supporters, however, consider the regulations necessary corrective measures to address historical marginalisation and emphasise that these are not reverse discrimination.
Additionally, the rules seek to ensure institutional accountability by placing responsibility on heads of institutions to address harassment complaints and regularly monitor compliance.
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