In Focus by The Hindu What’s driving the protests against UGC’s new campus equity rules?
Feb 4, 2026
Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, former UGC chair and scholar of caste and education policy, discusses the 2026 campus equity regulations. He traces their history from 2012, details the campus harms they aim to address, and explains why the new rules provoked protests and a Supreme Court stay. He examines enforcement changes, committee representation, gaps in coverage, and the limits of legal reform against deep-rooted caste bias.
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Suicides That Sparked Campus Equity Rules
- Two student suicides in medical colleges (2007–08) led Sukhadeo Thorat to investigate campus discrimination.
- His report documented classroom, hostel and dining-hall segregation and prompted the 2012 UGC equity regulations.
Court Pressure Drove The 2026 Revision
- The 2026 update followed persistent campus suicides and a Supreme Court prompt from families of victims.
- The court asked UGC to improve implementation because many institutions lacked equal-opportunity offices.
Why Protesters Targeted The Caste Clause
- Petitioners objected to an explicit caste clause, arguing general anti-discrimination language would suffice.
- They claimed separate caste mention could fuel claims of 'reverse discrimination'.