Ranchi, Jan 27 (PTI) The Jharkhand unit of All India Student’s Association (AISA) on Tuesday backed the UGC Equity Regulations, 2026, amid resentment by general category students in the county against the new regulations.
The Left-backed AISA welcomed the inclusion of other backward castes within the ambit of equity protection.
“The objective of new regulations is to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on religion, race, sex, place of birth, caste, and disability, and to ensure equality and inclusion in higher education institutions,” said AISA state secretary Trilokinath, while addressing media persons here.
He claimed that UGC’s figures indicate that complaints of caste-based discrimination in universities and colleges rose by 118 per cent from 2019 to 2024, which are the outcome of a casteist structure formed by institutional and state collusion.
“Measures like expanding the scope of equal opportunity centres, establishing Samta Samiti (equity committees), a 24-hour helpline, and Samta Samooh (equity groups) are welcome and positive steps,” he said.
The new rules notified by the UGC on January 13 — the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 — have sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.
Under the new regulations, introduced to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, the UGC has asked institutions to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students. PTI SAN SAN RG
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