Opposition parties welcome SC's stay on UGC equity regulations

Supreme Court Stays UGC Equity Regulations Amid Caste-Based Discrimination Concerns

Opposition parties have welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to stay the University Grants Commission's (UGC) equity regulations aimed at preventing caste-based discrimination on campuses.

Reactions from Opposition Parties

• Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati said the court's decision is appropriate in view of the current situation, as the regulations had led to an atmosphere of social tension.
• Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav welcomed the top court's stay on the regulations and stressed that both the language of a law and the intent behind it must be clear to prevent injustice and social division.
• Congress Leader Pramod Tiwari welcomed the top court's decision and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of creating conflicts to divert attention from real issues.
• Trinamool Congress (TMC) Leader Kalyan Banerjee also welcomed the apex court's decision, stating that the UGC guidelines were unconstitutional.

Criticism from CPI(ML) Liberation

The CPI(ML) Liberation, however, said it is "deeply appalled" by the observations made by the judges, calling them "myopic" and referring to the court's observations on another public interest litigation matter on the rights of domestic workers.

The party pointed out that data compiled by the UGC itself shows that complaints of caste-based discrimination in universities and colleges increased by 118 per cent between 2019 and 2024.

Background

The University Grants Commission had implemented new rules to prevent caste-based incidents in government and private universities across the country, leading to protests in different parts of the country.

The Supreme Court stayed the regulations, saying the framework is "prima-facie vague," can have "very sweeping consequences," and may end up dividing the society with a "dangerous impact."