UGC's New Anti-Discrimination Rules Spark Controversy: Priyanka Chaturvedi Demands Review

• Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi objects to UGC's Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, citing concerns over scope, clarity, and selective implementation.
• Chaturvedi questions the lack of safeguards against misuse, asking about false cases, guilt determination, and the definition of discrimination, advocating for clear and uniform law application.
• The UGC regulations aim to strengthen anti-discrimination mechanisms, mandating Equity Committees, Equal Opportunity Centres, Helplines, and Monitoring Squads in higher education institutions.
• The rules define discrimination broadly, including explicit acts, indirect bias, and systemic exclusion, formulated due to a 118% increase in discrimination complaints between 2019 and 2023.
• The regulations have received mixed reactions; general category individuals criticize them as one-sided, while supporters view them as necessary corrective measures for historical marginalization.

Why It Matters: UGC's new anti-discrimination rules face criticism for potential misuse and lack of uniform application.