The Supreme Court has put UGC 2026 regulations on hold, citing vagueness and potential misuse, amid protests by general category students. Next hearing on March 19.

The Supreme Court has put the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new 2026 regulations on hold following widespread protests, particularly from general category students. The court has directed that the regulations be re-examined, highlighting “complete vagueness” in the rules that could lead to misuse.

During the hearing, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern that even after 75 years of independence, caste-based discrimination persists in society. He remarked that in hostels, students from different regions often face prejudice, questioning why separate accommodations are still suggested despite inter-caste interactions and marriages being common.

The court emphasized that the language of the regulations should be reviewed by an expert and issued notices to the central government and the UGC. The bench noted that Article 15(4) allows for laws in favor of scheduled castes and tribes. Justice Joymalya Bagchi added that progressive legislation should not be regressive, warning against potential exploitation of the regulations.

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The petitions challenged the 2026 UGC regulations requiring universities and colleges to establish Equal Opportunity Centres (EOCs) and campus-level committees to handle complaints and promote equity and inclusion. Protesters argued that the rules lacked a clear mechanism for general category students to raise concerns, potentially increasing inequality.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the petitioners, highlighted that Section 3(c) defines caste-based discrimination as only applicable to SC, ST, and OBC students, excluding the general category. He argued that this definition violates Article 14, as discrimination is already broadly defined and cannot be limited to a single segment.

With the 2026 regulations on hold, colleges and universities will continue following the 2012 rules. The next hearing is scheduled for March 19.