UGC Equity Regulations 2026 won’t be misused, assures Dharmendra Pradhan as #RollbackUGC protests rage

Amid mounting criticism and social media backlash over the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) newly announced Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday sought to allay fears and assured students and academic stakeholders that the new rules would neither lead to discrimination nor be open to misuse.

“I assure everyone there will be no discrimination and no one can misuse the law,” Pradhan said while responding to concerns raised by students and some sections of the academic community.

His remarks come amid #RollbackUGC trending on social media platforms, with critics demanding withdrawal of the UGC rules they fear could be unfairly applied or misinterpreted.

“Delhi University students have decided to protest the new UGC rules on January 28 at 11 am at the Arts Faculty, DU, citing concerns about their impact on general category students and campus life,” a post by Shubham Sharma on X read.

“The opposition to the UGC Equity Regulations is coming from people who are against social justice,” a post by Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on X read, supporting the new rules for higher education institutions.

“Those resisting these regulations are not interested in protecting the rights of SC, ST, and OBC students,” he added, saying the rules are meant to promote equality and inclusion, not harm anyone.

UGC Equity Regulations 2026: Fairness assured

The UGC announced the Equity Regulations 2026 earlier this month to help stop caste-based discrimination on college and university campuses. According to the rules, all higher education institutions must set up Equal Opportunity Centres (EOCs), Equity Committees, and grievance redressal systems to address complaints related to discrimination, exclusion, or harassment.

However, these regulations have faced strong opposition, particularly from general-category students and some faculty members. Critics say important protections, like clear rules to stop false or malicious complaints, which were in earlier drafts, were removed from the final version.

There are also concerns that the rules mainly focus on SC, ST, and OBC students, without clearly addressing discrimination faced by those from the unreserved categories.

UGC Equity Regulation 2026: #RollbackUGC trends

The opposition to the UGC Equity Regulation 2026 has spread beyond social media. Student groups have announced protests, and legal petitions have also been filed in the Supreme Court demanding a review or withdrawal of these rules.

The petitioners have argued that vague definitions and the absence of penalty provisions for misuse will lead to fear, uncertainty, and tension in campus relations.

The government and the UGC, however, say that the regulations follow the Constitution and SC guidelines to create a safe and inclusive learning environment. Officials have said the rules are meant to prevent problems, not punish anyone, and that they may issue clarifications to address real concerns from students and teachers.