Supreme Court Stays UGC's New Caste Discrimination Regulations, Cites 'Sweeping Consequences'

• The Supreme Court has put on hold the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, calling them "prima facie vague" and potentially divisive.
• The court expressed concern that the new regulations could have "very sweeping consequences" and a "dangerous impact" by dividing society.
• A key issue is Regulation 3(1)(c), which defines caste-based discrimination strictly against SCs, STs, and OBCs, excluding general categories from institutional protection.
• The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, revived the UGC Regulations, 2012, to ensure students have remedies for discrimination.
• The court also questioned the exclusion of ragging from the new regulations and suggested a committee of experts revisit the framework.

Why It Matters: Supreme Court halts new UGC regulations on caste discrimination, citing vagueness and potential for societal division.