Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday (Jan 27, 2026) sought to allay concerns over the University Grants Commission’s new regulations 2026 to promote equity in higher education institutions, amid protests and allegations that the rules discriminated against “general category” students.
Speaking to reporters in Rajasthan, Mr Pradhan said the regulations were announced under the supervision of the Supreme Court and assured that “there will be no discrimination” and that “nobody will have the right to abuse anything in the name of discrimination”.
His remarks came against the backdrop of protests against the UGC regulations in cities like Lucknow, Indore and New Delhi, with more demonstrations planned in the coming days and numerous petitions filed in the Supreme Court challenging the framework.
The new regulations, announced on January 13, define “caste-based discrimination” as discrimination based on caste or tribe against persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The final version also deletes a provision proposed in an earlier draft to penalize false complaints.
Critics of the ordinance argued that by not recognizing “general category” students as potential victims of caste-based discrimination, the definition itself was discriminatory. They also pointed out the absence of any mechanism to act against complaints that are deemed false.
Addressing reporters in Rajasthan’s Didwana, Mr. Pradhan said, “I want to assure everyone that no one will be subjected to harassment and there will be no discrimination. No one will have the right to abuse anything in the name of discrimination.”
He added that whether it is UGC, union government or any state governments, it will be their responsibility to ensure fair implementation. “I assure you that whatever system or arrangement is made in India will be within the framework of the constitution. No injustice, oppression or discrimination will be done to anyone,” he said.
On Tuesday (January 27, 2026), students protested against the regulations outside Lucknow University and in parts of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Indore in Madhya Pradesh and outside the UGC office in New Delhi. Students from Delhi University have also called for a protest outside the university’s Arts Faculty building on Wednesday (January 28, 2026).
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), also issued a statement on Tuesday (January 26, 2026) saying that while the new regulations were “well-intentioned”, they needed “clarity and balance”. The statement quoted ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki as saying that “there must be social equality for all sections of society”. However, he said “misconceptions” about the regulations prevail among students, parents and stakeholders and the UGC needs to engage with them to clarify concerns.
Meanwhile, the National Students’ Union of India, the student wing of the Congress, supported the regulations as “a necessary step to address discrimination in universities across the country”. NSUI National President Varun Choudhary expressed support for the framework in a post on X.
Politicians continued to voice their opinions on the rules. On Tuesday (Jan 27, 2026), Rajya Sabha MP Shiv Sena (UBT) Priyanka Chaturvedi doubled down on her argument that the new ordinances are discriminatory against certain sections, while Nagina (UP) MP and Bhim Army founder Chandra Shekhar Azad said his party’s Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ramading) said the opposition and opposition to social ordinances welcomed “social regulations”. of justice, which is extremely disturbing”.
The new regulations arose out of Supreme Court proceedings on a series of petitions filed in 2019 by parents of students who died by suicide, arguing that the earlier 2012 UGC regulations were insufficient to address issues of caste discrimination in universities. During the hearing, the union government informed the court that it was revising the framework.
A draft version released by the UGC in 2025 for public comment defined “caste-based discrimination” as discrimination based on caste or tribe against members of the SC and ST communities and included provisions for penalties for false complaints. The draft drew objections from petitioners and other stakeholders who argued that the provisions for punishing false complaints were not detailed enough to determine the veracity of the complaints.
The Parliamentary Panel on Education, headed by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, also recommended in 2025 that OBCs be included in the “caste-based discrimination” area. Following this, new rules were announced this year, including OBCs in the definition of “caste-based discrimination” and doing away with giving false complaints.
Published – 27 Jan 2026 21:44 IST
