Wednesday brought a pivotal moment to New Delhi’s Supreme Court, where justices agreed to prioritize a public interest suit targeting UGC’s new ‘Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institution Regulation 2026’. Activated January 13, these directives impose equity committees and anti-discrimination mandates on educational institutions.
CJI Suryakant, presiding over the bench, confirmed knowledge of the dispute. Urging refinements to the PIL, he committed: ‘Address the shortcomings. We shall hear the matter.’ The court’s nod underscores the urgency of the allegations leveled against the policy.
Central to the fray is the claim of overt bias: general category pupils are allegedly denied grievance channels, funneled exclusively to reserved categories. This setup, per the petitioner, discriminates blatantly, robbing non-reserved students of vital protections.
The petition escalates, portraying the regulations as divisive engines that tolerate aggression against certain groups while safeguarding others. Seeking an injunction, it decries identity-based barriers to justice as antithetical to equality, potentially fueling institutional toxicity.
Multiple suits, including the notable Rahul Diwan case against the Union, reflect mounting opposition. As colleges navigate compliance, the apex court’s deliberation could pivot national discourse on educational equity.
Caught between social redressal and universal access, these rules test constitutional boundaries. The hearings ahead will probe whether UGC’s vision fosters harmony or hierarchy, with ripple effects for India’s youth and academia at large.