The trouble with definitions: Why the SC halted UGC’s equity framework
The Supreme Court has put the UGC’s 2026 equity regulations on hold and revived the 2012 framework, flagging concerns that the new rules could create unequal access to grievance redressal. At the centre is Regulation 3(c), which defines “caste-based discrimination” only for SC/ST/OBC complainants. The case now tests how universities balance targeted protection with constitutional equality in remedies.
The Supreme Court has put the UGC’s 2026 equity regulations on hold and revived the 2012 framework, flagging concerns that the new rules could create unequal access to grievance redressal. At the centre is Regulation 3(c), which defines “caste-based discrimination” only for SC/ST/OBC complainants. The case now tests how universities balance targeted protection with constitutional equality in remedies.
