SC stays UGC regulation pertaining to definition of caste discrimination
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed a recent University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation after various pleas were filed contending that the Commission adopted a non-inclusionary definition of caste-based discrimination and excluded certain categories from institutional protection.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Centre and the UGC on the pleas challenging the regulation.
The new regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form "equity committees" to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity were notified on January 13.
The University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, mandated that these committees must include members of the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the Scheduled Castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST), persons with disabilities, and women.
The new regulations replaces the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, which was largely advisory in nature.
The pleas assailed the regulation on the grounds that caste-based discrimination is defined strictly as discrimination against members of the SCs, STs and OBCs.
It said that by limiting the scope of "caste-based discrimination" only to SC, ST and OBC categories, the UGC has effectively denied institutional protection and grievance redressal to individuals belonging to the "general" or non-reserved categories who may also face harassment or bias based on their caste identity.
Protests were held at various places against the regulations, with student groups and organisations demanding its immediate rollback.
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BJP walks out of Karnataka Assembly over state govt ad criticising Centre’s VB-G RAM G Act
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday witnessed uproar over a state government advertisement published in newspapers opposing the Centre’s VB-G RAM G Act, with the opposition BJP accusing the Siddaramaiah-led government of misusing taxpayers’ money for "false propaganda".
The House was briefly adjourned amid loud protests, even as the government defended the advertisement.
BJP members also staged a walkout, objecting to the state government’s criticism of the Centre and its decision to repeal the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act.
The opposition further accused the government of "disrespecting" Mahatma Gandhi, alleging that the advertisement issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department featured caricatures of Gandhi in conversation with a man named Sangappa—depicted wearing a white shirt and khaki trousers, which the BJP claimed resembled an RSS uniform—highlighting alleged shortcomings of the Centre’s scheme compared to the earlier legislation.
Raising the issue in the Assembly, senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar said, "There is a front-page advertisement in all newspapers. The government functions using taxpayers’ money."
"If the Congress party had issued an advertisement against the central government’s Act, that would have been acceptable. But such an advertisement issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department against the VB-G RAM G Act is not right," he added.
"This is a clear loot of taxpayers’ money by the government for false propaganda and vendetta politics," he alleged.
Defending the advertisement, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said the BJP appeared to suggest that the state government should accept everything the central government says "with folded hands and remain silent."
He maintained that the advertisement did not violate any law. "Let the BJP point out which law has been violated," Priyank said.
