What Is the UGC Act 2026 and Why Is It Facing Opposition from Upper-Caste Groups? Explained

The controversy surrounding the UGC Act 2026, formally titled “Regulations for Promoting Equity in Higher Educational Institutions, 2026”, has intensified across the country, triggering protests from several upper-caste organisations. While the University Grants Commission (UGC) has described the regulation as a landmark step toward ensuring equality and preventing caste-based discrimination in higher education, critics argue that it could be misused and unfairly target certain sections of society.

The regulation came into force on January 15, 2026, and is applicable to all universities and colleges across India, including those in Uttar Pradesh. With the UP Assembly elections due in 2027, the issue has also acquired clear political overtones.

What Is the UGC Act 2026?

The UGC Act 2026 aims to prevent caste-based discrimination and harassment in higher educational institutions. Its most significant provision is the expansion of the definition of caste-based discrimination to include not only Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) but also the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Under the new rules:

• OBC students, faculty members, and non-teaching staff can now formally file complaints of caste-based discrimination.
• Every higher education institution is required to establish a Common Equal Opportunity Cell for SC, ST, and OBC communities.
• A University-Level Equity Committee must be formed, comprising representatives from OBCs, SCs, STs, women, and persons with disabilities.
• The committee is mandated to submit a six-monthly compliance and monitoring report to the UGC.

Until now, institutional grievance mechanisms dealing with caste discrimination were largely limited to SC and ST communities.

Why Are Upper-Caste Groups Protesting?

Several upper-caste organisations have expressed strong opposition to the regulation, arguing that it may lead to misuse and false allegations against students and faculty from the general category.

In Jaipur, groups such as the Karni Sena, Brahmin Mahasabha, Kayastha Mahasabha, and Vaishya organisations have jointly formed the ‘Savarna Samaj Samanvay Samiti (S-4)’ to coordinate protests against the regulation. Similar opposition has been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, where social media campaigns by influencers and activists from upper-caste backgrounds have further intensified the debate.

Opponents claim that the regulation could create an atmosphere of fear in educational institutions and undermine academic freedom by encouraging frivolous complaints.

Protests and Police Action in Ghaziabad

The controversy escalated further after Yati Narsinghanand Giri, the head priest of the Dasna Devi Peeth in Ghaziabad, announced a protest against the Act. On Friday, he attempted to travel to Jantar Mantar in Delhi to stage a hunger strike but was stopped by the police and placed under preventive detention in Ghaziabad.

Following the police action, Yati Narsinghanand accused the Uttar Pradesh government of suppressing voices raising concerns about the interests of the upper-caste community. His detention has further fueled public debate and media attention.

The Larger Debate on Social Equity

Supporters of the UGC regulation argue that upper-caste dominance in higher education remains a structural issue. Despite decades of reservation policies—SC/ST reservations since Independence, OBC reservations in admissions since 1990, and in faculty recruitment since 2010—the participation of historically marginalized communities in universities is still estimated at below 15 percent.

UGC data submitted to parliamentary committees and the Supreme Court reveal a sharp rise in reported cases of caste-based discrimination. Complaints increased by 118.4 percent over the last five years, from 173 cases in 2019–20 to 378 cases in 2023–24. Between 2019–20 and 2023–24, the UGC received 1,160 complaints from 704 universities and 1,553 colleges.

A Law at the Centre of a Growing Political Storm

As the regulation continues to be implemented nationwide, the UGC Act 2026 has become a flashpoint between competing narratives of social justice and institutional fairness. While the government and rights-based groups view it as a necessary safeguard against discrimination, critics see it as a policy that could deepen social divisions.

With protests spreading and political stakes rising ahead of upcoming elections, the debate over the UGC Act 2026 is likely to remain at the centre of national discourse in the coming months.