ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash EP-384 | UGC Regulations 2026: Dr Vikas Divyakirti on Protests, Reservation & Caste Discrimination
Jan 29, 2026
Dr Vikas Divyakirti, educator and founder of Drishti IAS, offers a concise take on the UGC Equity Regulations 2026. He examines protests in North India, concerns about implicit discrimination and complaint safeguards. He breaks down equity committee makeup, faculty representation challenges and how recruitment, AI and monitoring might reshape campus fairness.
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From Symbolic Rules To Enforceable Standards
- The 2012 UGC guidelines were largely symbolic and ineffective without enforcement mechanisms.
- Vikas Divyakirti says the 2026 rules aim to make anti-discrimination compliance mandatory and actionable across institutions.
Rohit Vemula Case Spurs Reform
- Vikas references the 2016 Rohit Vemula case that catalyzed judicial scrutiny of campus discrimination rules.
- He says petitioners argued 2012 guidelines were symbolic and inadequate, prompting Supreme Court review.
Preamble Wording Creates Legal Ambiguity
- The new regulations list multiple protected grounds including caste, race, religion and disability, plus EWS and other categories.
- Vikas highlights drafting errors and inconsistent placement of EWS that could cause confusion in interpretation.
