New Delhi: Protests by upper caste Hindu students and parents have intensified against the University Grants Commission Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026. The campaign claims the new rules treat General Category students as potential offenders and create fear inside campuses.
The regulations require all higher education institutions to set up Equity Committees. These bodies must include representatives from Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, persons with disabilities, and women. The 2026 framework replaces the earlier 2012 anti discrimination rules of the UGC.
The opposition has moved beyond campuses. Bareilly City Magistrate Alank Agnihotri, a Provincial Civil Services officer from the 2019 batch, resigned from service. He cited dissatisfaction with the new regulations. In Lucknow, nearly a dozen local Bharatiya Janata Party members also resigned from the party in protest.
Political reactions have followed. Uttar Pradesh BJP Member of Legislative Council Devendra Pratap Singh wrote to the UGC. He said the regulations were creating insecurity among General Category students. The issue has also reached the judiciary. A writ petition challenging the regulations was filed in the Supreme Court by Mrityunjay Tiwari, a post doctoral researcher at Banaras Hindu University.
Senior BJP leaders have tried to reassure protesters. BJP Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey said on social media that misunderstandings around the rules would be cleared. He pointed to the 10 percent reservation for Economically Weaker Sections introduced by the Modi government. He assured upper caste families of protection under the present leadership.
For Muslim students and other marginalized groups, the regulations focus on equity and representation within institutions. The ongoing backlash highlights deep social tensions around caste, access, and power in higher education. The coming weeks are likely to test the balance between constitutional equality and political pressure.
