NEP neither replaces nor weakens mother languages, says Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Chennai
NEW DELHI: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday assured that the new University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, issued to address caste-based discrimination on campuses, would not be misused.“I would like to assure everyone that no misuse of the law in the name of discrimination will be allowed. Ensuring this is the responsibility of the UGC, the Government of India, and state governments. All actions will be carried out within the ambit of the Constitution. This matter is also under the supervision of the Supreme Court, and I assure you that there will be no discrimination,” Pradhan told reporters. Notified on January 13, the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, have drawn widespread criticism from general category students, who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.Under the new regulations, the UGC has directed institutions to set up special committees, helplines, and monitoring teams to handle complaints, particularly from SC, ST, and OBC students.Meanwhile, a plea has also been filed in the Supreme Court, with the petitioner alleging that one provision under the policy is “non-inclusionary” and fails to protect students and faculty outside reserved categories.“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,” the petitioner, Vineet Jindal, stated. Jindal claimed that the regulation violates the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 (right to equality) and 15(1) (prohibition of discrimination by the State on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth). He also argued that it infringes Article 21 (the right to life and personal liberty, which includes the right to live with dignity) of the Constitution.The plea has sought interim directions to the Union government and the UGC to ensure that the Equal Opportunity Centres, Equity Helplines, and Ombudsperson mechanisms set up under the regulations are made accessible to all students on a non-discriminatory basis, pending a formal review of the definition.
