Mayawati Supports Supreme Court's Stay on UGC's New Equality Regulations
Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party, has backed the Supreme Court's recent decision to stay the UGC's new equality regulations, citing rising social tensions in universities. She criticized the UGC for not consulting all stakeholders before implementing the rules, which she believes have exacerbated societal unrest. The Supreme Court's ruling maintains the 2012 regulations, highlighting concerns over the vagueness of the new rules regarding caste-based discrimination. This decision raises important questions about representation and fairness in higher education.
| Jan 29, 2026, 18:39 IST
Mayawati's Stance on UGC Regulations
On Thursday, Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party, expressed her support for the Supreme Court's decision to impose a stay on the new equality regulations introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC). She emphasized that given the current social tensions within universities, this judicial intervention is justified. In a post on X, she stated that the UGC should have consulted all stakeholders before implementing these rules and ensured adequate representation for the general category.
Concerns Over Social Tensions
Mayawati pointed out that the new UGC regulations aimed at preventing caste-based incidents in both public and private universities have inadvertently created an atmosphere of social unrest. She argued that the Supreme Court's decision to halt these regulations is appropriate in light of the prevailing circumstances. She noted that if the UGC had engaged all parties and provided fair representation to higher caste communities in the investigative committee, the current social tensions could have been avoided.
Supreme Court's Ruling on UGC Regulations
In response to the uproar regarding alleged discrimination against the general category, the Supreme Court issued a stay on the UGC (Promotion of Equality in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2026. The court ruled that the previous 2012 UGC regulations will remain in effect for now. It highlighted that Regulation 3 (C), which defines caste-based discrimination, is vague and could be misused, indicating a need for revision of the language used in the regulations.