Why in news
UGC informed the Supreme Court that it has drafted new regulations to prevent caste discrimination in higher educational institutions and will soon seek public comments.
This action follows a Supreme Court order related to a petition filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, who died by suicide due to caste discrimination in universities.
The new draft
The UGC expert panel, led by Shailesh N. Zala, reviewed existing regulations and drafted new guidelines for promoting equity in higher education.
The new draft, titled University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2025, is under approval and will be publicly shared for feedback.
In response to the court's order, the UGC gathered data on caste discrimination complaints in universities, reporting 1,503 complaints, with 1,426 resolved.
The UGC is actively working to prevent caste discrimination through monitoring, helplines, and ensuring unresolved complaints are addressed.
The Supreme Court urged the UGC to show more sensitivity and transparency regarding the implementation of anti-discrimination measures in universities.
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