Image: IANS
NEW DELHI: A fresh regulatory push aims at making India’s campuses safer and more inclusive, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) rolling out a strengthened framework to curb caste-based discrimination across universities and colleges.The move comes as complaints of caste-linked bias have more than doubled over five years – rising 118.4% from 173 in 2019-20 to 378 in 2023-24 – and amid sustained judicial scrutiny over student welfare in institutions.Crucially, the new framework shifts the burden of action squarely onto institutions, making campus leadership directly accountable for preventing discrimination and responding to complaints in a time-bound manner.Notified last week, the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 replace the 2012 rules and significantly widen their scope. For the first time, caste-based discrimination is explicitly defined to cover scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, correcting a key gap in the draft framework. The regulations also broaden the meaning of discrimination to include unfair treatment on grounds of caste, religion, gender, disability and place of birth, and any act that undermines human dignity or equality in education At the institutional level, every higher education institution is now required to set up an Equal Opportunity Centre (EOC) to drive inclusion and support disadvantaged students, which will be backed by an Equity Committee headed by the institution chief. These committees must include representation from SCs, STs, OBCs, women and persons with disabilities, and are mandated to meet at least twice a year. EOCs will publish bi-annual reports detailing campus demographics, dropout rates, complaints received and their status, introducing a new layer of transparency.The rules also provide for round-the-clock equity helplines, mobile “equity squads” to monitor vulnerable campus spaces, and designated “equity ambassadors” across hostels, departments and facilities to flag violations early. Complaints must trigger a committee meeting within 24 hours, with institutions required to act within fixed timelines. Appeals can be taken to an ombudsperson.Crucially, UGC has armed itself with sharper enforcement tools. Institutions that fail to comply with teh regulations can be barred from UGC schemes, stopped from offering degree or online programmes, and in extreme cases removed from the UGC’s recognised list – a step that effectively strips an institution of its academic standing.A national-level monitoring committee, with representatives from professional councils and civil society, will oversee implementation and review cases of discrimination at least twice a year.UGC data shows that Equal Opportunity Cells have already received over 1,500 complaints in recent years, even as audits point to uneven resolution and patchy documentation. Supreme Court has repeatedly sought caste-wise data from regulators, underlining the need for credible reporting on the issue.Vice-chancellors say the new framework marks a shift from advisory guidelines to enforceable obligations. Whether it delivers lasting change will depend on transparent data, independent oversight and consistent follow-through – measures that will now decide how far India’s campuses move from policy intent to lived equity.
