On 27th February this year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued new draft regulations which limit ‘caste-based discrimination’ on campuses to only those belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) community.
Since 2012, UGC defined [pdf] ‘discrimination’ as “any distinction, exclusion, limitation or preference which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing equality of treatment in education.”
The regulations made specific references to students and identified parameters of discrimination such as caste, creed religion, language, ethnicity, gender, and disabilities.
In the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations of 2025 [pdf], ‘discrimination’ and ‘caste-based discrimination’ have been made separate categories.
The new definition of ‘discrimination’ removes mention of students and extends it to include ‘any stakeholder’ within an institute.
‘Caste -based discrimination’, which is now a distinct entity, is defined as “discrimination on the basis of caste or tribe only against the members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes”.
The new draft regulations were prepared by an Expert Committee of the University Grants Commission in response to petitions in the Supreme Court alleging ‘rampant caste discrimination’ in universities.
The UGC has asked the public to send their objections and suggestions within the following 30 days, starting 27th February.
