SC Stays UGC’s New Regulations: Government Considers Revising ‘False Complaint’ Clause

New Delhi: The Supreme Court’s stay on the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new regulations has not quelled the debate, as questions linger over the government’s next steps. The UGC Regulations 2026, which address equality and justice in academic institutions, have sparked protests, particularly among the upper-caste community, seeking clarity from the Modi government.

Focus on the ‘False Complaint’ Clause

Sources indicate that the Ministry of Education has begun considering reintroducing safeguards against “false complaints” in the final rules. This clause, included in the 2025 draft, was removed from the 2026 final regulations. Critics argue that without penalties for false complaints, the provision could be misused to harass individuals.

Protests and Concerns

Upper-caste groups have expressed concerns that the inclusion of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) under the new rules—absent in the 2012 regulations—may leave them vulnerable to unaddressed discrimination. While removing OBCs from the scope of the rules may be challenging, the government is reportedly reviewing whether protections against false complaints should be reinstated and whether the anti-discrimination framework should be extended to economically weaker sections (EWS) as well.

Supreme Court Observations

On Thursday, the Supreme Court raised serious objections to several provisions, warning that they could deepen social divisions and undermine the goal of a caste-free society. Specifically, Sections 2 and 3(c) of the regulations define beneficiaries as “socially and educationally backward classes,” with caste-based discrimination referring to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs. Notably, OBCs were not mentioned in draft Rule 3(c) but were included in this year’s final regulations.

Penalty Provisions Removed

The draft regulations included penalties for filing false discrimination complaints. Under the removed provisions, individuals making false complaints could have been fined by the Equality Committee, with repeated or severe violations potentially triggering disciplinary action under institutional rules. The government is now reviewing whether similar safeguards should be reinstated.