UGC Equity Regulations 2026 are unbalanced; RSS requests RSS-led government to take a fair decision

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has termed the provisions of the Equity Regulations, 2026, issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), as "unbalanced". The Sangh has requested the Central Government to ensure that fairness and social harmony are maintained in any changes or decisions taken regarding these rules.

According to RSS All India Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar, the organisation has already informed the authorities regarding its concerns over these rules. He added that both the Government and the UGC have taken note of these objections. Currently, the matter is under judicial process as the Supreme Court has stayed these regulations.

Clarifying the stance, Sunil Ambekar said that the Sangh has made its position clear that the UGC circular was unbalanced. This concern was brought to the attention of the authorities and both the Government and the UGC have taken it into consideration. The Court has also stayed these rules and the matter is currently pending in court.

Ambekar further stated that the RSS believes any decision taken on this issue in the future must be balanced. It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure that the final framework is fair. He said that whatever happens in the future should be balanced, and both the Government and the Court should lead the matter in that direction.

Ambekar also cautioned that this dispute should not affect social relations. He said that social relations should not deteriorate due to a controversy created by just one circular of the Government. Maintaining the unity of society is a major responsibility. He further added that society should not risk its social unity for the sake of one circular. We must keep our society strong. If we stay together, I believe solutions to such problems will also emerge.

Discussions are currently ongoing regarding these 2026 UGC rules. These rules were introduced to eliminate caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions, but protests and objections have arisen regarding how the definition of discrimination and the categories of students included in it have been determined.

The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, were announced on 13 January. This process began through a Public Interest Litigation filed in the Supreme Court in 2019. This application was filed by Radhika Vemula and Abeda Salim Tadvi, the mothers of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi.

Both Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi committed suicide after facing caste-based discrimination in their respective universities. Their families approached the Supreme Court to prevent caste discrimination on university campuses and to ensure such incidents do not recur. As a result of this petition, the existing protective measures against discrimination in higher education were examined.

In early 2025, the Supreme Court told the Central Government that they want a "very strong and precise mechanism" to effectively tackle such incidents. While the UGC was preparing the draft of its rules, the Court also allowed the petitioners and other stakeholders to submit their suggestions.