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New Delhi: As University Grants Commission’s regulation on promotion of equity in higher educational institutions has stirred a huge debate with a few sections split along the caste divide, a petition has been filed in the apex court for declaring it illegal and unconstitutional for being discriminatory and not covering harassment of non-SC/ST/OBC students.UGC framed the law on the suggestion of the apex court to put in place a mechanism to prevent ragging, sexual harassment, and discrimination on the basis of caste, gender, and disability in educational institutions.The bone of contention is its Section 3(1)(c) which says “caste-based discrimination’’ is against members of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes. The petition sought SC’s intervention to direct UGC and the Centre to ensure everything prescribed under the regulation, be caste-neutral and not only for SC/ST/OBC.
