Supreme Court Stays University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026

Key facts

• The Supreme Court (SC) of India stayed the University Grants Commission (UGC) (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, citing concerns that they could divide society.
• A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi ordered that the 2012 Regulations will continue in force under Article 142 until further orders.
• The SC directed the Central Government to constitute a committee of eminent jurists to address the issue and obtain court approval for its setup.
• Petitioners challenged Section 3(1)(c) of the regulations for defining discrimination only against members of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) while excluding the general category.
• The court flagged the omission of ragging as a specific form of discrimination and expressed concern over provisions indicating separate hostels, classrooms, or mentorship groups.
• The 2026 Regulations were developed following a 2019 petition seeking anti-discrimination mechanisms in higher education institutions.