The Centre has notified a new set of regulations requiring all higher education institutions (HEIs) to establish formal mechanisms to address discrimination complaints and promote equity on campus, officials said.
The rules, titled University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, lay down a structured framework for grievance redressal, inclusion, and support for disadvantaged groups across universities and colleges.
Why the regulations were introduced
The regulations follow directions from the Supreme Court, which had asked the UGC to submit updated rules while hearing a petition related to the implementation of the 2012 UGC anti-discrimination regulations. The petition was filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi.
A draft version of the new regulations was released for public feedback in February last year before being finalised and notified.
Mandatory Equal Opportunity Centres
Under the new rules, every higher education institution must establish an Equal Opportunity Centre (EOC).
The centre will be responsible for:
- Overseeing the implementation of equity-related policies and programmes
- Providing academic, financial, social, and personal guidance to disadvantaged groups
- Promoting diversity and inclusion on campus
- If a college does not have at least five faculty members to run an EOC, its functions will be carried out by the Equal Opportunity Centre of the university it is affiliated with.
- Coordination with authorities and civil society
The regulations state that the Equal Opportunity Centre will coordinate with:
- Civil society groups
- Local media
- Police and district administration
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Faculty members, staff, and parents
In addition, the centre will work with District and State Legal Services Authorities to facilitate legal aid in deserving cases.
Appointment of a coordinator
Each institution's executive council, governing body, or management committee will nominate a regular professor or senior faculty member as the coordinator of the Equal Opportunity Centre.
The coordinator must be someone with a demonstrated interest in the welfare of disadvantaged social groups.
Equity Committees: Composition and role
Every Equal Opportunity Centre will have an Equity Committee, constituted by the head of the institution, to manage the centre's functioning and to enquire into discrimination complaints.
The regulations mandate representation on the committee from:
- Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
- Scheduled Castes (SCs)
- Scheduled Tribes (STs)
- Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)
- Women
Members will have a tenure of two years, while special invitees will serve for one year.
Introduction Of Equity Squads
The rules also require institutions to set up Equity Squads - smaller bodies tasked with maintaining a vigil on campus and preventing discriminatory practices.
The composition of these squads will be decided by individual institutions based on their specific requirements.
Context behind the move
The regulations come amid long-standing concerns over discrimination in higher education.
Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar at the University of Hyderabad, died by suicide in 2016, allegedly after facing caste-based harassment. In 2019, Payal Tadvi, a resident doctor at Mumbai's Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital, also died by suicide, with allegations of casteist harassment by seniors.
The new framework aims to put in place institutional mechanisms to prevent discrimination and ensure timely redressal within higher education campuses.
What happens if an institution does not comply?
If an institution does not follow these regulations, the UGC can take action, including:
- Banning the institution from UGC schemes
- Stopping degree programmes
- Stopping online and distance learning programmes
- Removing the institution from the official UGC list
- More than one action can be taken, depending on the case.
