The Centre told the Supreme Court on 5 November that it is considering a committee to revisit the UGC’s 2026 equity regulations. For now, those rules remain on hold, and the 2012 regulations are the ones that apply on campus. The court adjourned the case by four weeks, LiveLaw reported. The reports we read give no members, terms or timeline for the committee.
“The government is contemplating appointing a committee,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. According to The Indian Express, the Chief Justice said the rules “should protect the interest of every student”.
How we got here
| 2012 | University Grants Commission (UGC) issues equity regulations for colleges and universities |
| 2019 | The mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi petition the Supreme Court for stronger safeguards against caste discrimination on campuses |
| 13 January 2026 | UGC notifies new regulations to replace the 2012 ones |
| 29 January 2026 | Supreme Court stays them, saying they appear vague and capable of misuse, and keeps the 2012 rules in force |
| August 2026 | Centre tells the court the regulations are being reconsidered |
| 5 November 2026 | Centre says it is considering a committee; case adjourned by four weeks |
Why the 2026 rules were challenged
The main dispute is over one definition. Regulation 3(1)(c) defines caste-based discrimination as discrimination against members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Petitioners from the general category argued that this leaves them without the same specific protection. Others defended targeted protection for those groups. A separate, broader definition of “discrimination” in the same regulations covers unfair treatment on the ground of caste against any stakeholder, The Indian Express noted.
When it stayed the rules, the court raised several questions of its own, as reported by The Indian Express:
- whether the separate caste definition has a rational link to the aim of the rules;
- whether the rules protect the most backward groups within these categories;
- whether wording on allocating hostels and classrooms could amount to “separate yet equal” treatment;
- whether leaving out ragging as a specific form of discrimination is a step backward.
If you face discrimination on campus now
The stay does not leave students without a route to complain. The 2012 regulations bar institutions from discriminating against students on the basis of caste, creed, religion, language, ethnicity, gender or disability. They also list specific acts, such as naming students’ castes in class or labelling them as reserved category.
- Who to go to: the Anti-Discrimination Officer, whom every institution must appoint along with an Equal Opportunity Cell.
- Who can complain: a student or a parent, in writing and with enough detail, even if the incident happened outside the institution.
- How long it should take: the institution must decide the complaint within 60 days.
- If you disagree with the order: you can appeal to the head of the institution within 90 days.
Your institution must also publish its complaint procedure on its website, so check there first.
Sources: LiveLaw and The Indian Express reports of the 5 November 2026 hearing; The Indian Express and The Hindu on the January 2026 stay; UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012. We have not read the court’s written order of 5 November.
