UGC Draft Regulations on Promoting Equity in Higher Education

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released draft regulations aimed at promoting equity and preventing discrimination in higher education institutions. This initiative comes in response to a Supreme Court directive following the tragic cases of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, who died by suicide due to alleged caste-based discrimination.

Key Provisions

• Equity Committees:
  • Tasked with managing complaints of discrimination.
  • Composed of the head of the institution (ex-officio chairperson), professors, civil society members, and student representatives.
  • At least one member must be a woman, and one each from SC and ST categories.
• Equity Squads:
  • Mobile units to maintain vigilance and prevent discrimination on campus.
• Equity Helpline:
  • For reporting incidents of discrimination.
• False Complaints:
  • Individuals making false complaints may face fines or disciplinary actions.

Implementation and Compliance

• An equal opportunity centre is to be established in each institution.
• The equity committee must meet within 24 hours of a complaint and report to the head of the institution within 15 working days.
• Institutions failing to comply with these regulations will face action from an enquiry committee constituted by the UGC.

Current Context

• The UGC has established 3,067 equal opportunity cells across 3,522 institutions.
• A total of 1,503 caste-based discrimination complaints have been reported, with 1,426 resolved.

The UGC is accepting feedback on these draft regulations until March 28.