The Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) newly notified regulations following multiple petitions challenging their validity. The pleas argued that the rules adopted a narrow and non-inclusive definition of caste-based discrimination, leaving out several vulnerable groups from institutional safeguards.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Centre and the UGC, seeking their responses to the challenges raised against the regulations. The petitioners contended that the framework diluted protections meant for marginalised communities and failed to align with constitutional principles of equality and social justice.
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The court observed that the concerns raised required detailed examination and decided to pause the implementation of the rules until further hearing. The matter will be taken up again after responses are filed by the authorities.
