Lucknow: Reactions from opposition leaders have begun to pour in following the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the implementation of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new regulations. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati welcomed the apex court’s order, stating that the controversy would not have arisen had the UGC ensured inclusive representation while framing the rules.
In a statement, Mayawati said that the new UGC regulations, introduced to prevent caste-based incidents in government and private universities, have instead created an atmosphere of social tension. She termed the Supreme Court’s decision to put the rules on hold as “appropriate” given the prevailing situation. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister added that if the UGC had taken all stakeholders into confidence before implementing the rules and ensured adequate representation of upper-caste communities in inquiry committees in line with the principles of natural justice, the situation would not have escalated. “Had there been proper representation, there would have been no dispute,” she remarked.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention. Emphasising the essence of justice, Yadav said that true justice lies in ensuring that no one is subjected to oppression or injustice. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote that justice is not merely about rules but also about intent, and that the language and spirit of the law must be clear. “There should be no oppression, no injustice, and no excesses against anyone,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the implementation of the UGC’s recently notified rules while hearing multiple petitions challenging them. The petitioners argued that the Commission had adopted a non-inclusive definition of caste-based discrimination and excluded certain sections from institutional safeguards. A bench comprising Chief Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notices to the Centre and the UGC, seeking their responses.
The contested rules, notified on January 13, mandate the formation of ‘Equality Committees’ in all higher education institutions to examine complaints related to discrimination and to promote equality on campuses. The matter will now be heard further after the responses are filed.
