Caste discrimination is a deep-rooted social exclusion and denial of rights to certain people based on their birth into a specific social group with fixed inherited status. To tackle caste discrimination in India, the UGC has issued new rules under promotions of equity regulations 2026.
Caste discrimination has been a painful reality for many students in India. Unfortunately, despite several measures to tackle gender discrimination, it has been a recurring problem. Universities and colleges, which should nurture talent, have often witnessed unfair cases of caste discrimination, harassment and exploitation of students from marginalised communities. Many students from the scheduled castes continue to face exclusion, humiliation and unequal treatment, affecting not just their education but also their mental well-being.
To tackle the concern of Caste Discrimination in India, the University Grants Commission has issued new rules under the Promotion of Equity Regulations 2026 to strictly address caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions. These new guidelines aim to create safer, fairer and more inclusive campuses across the country. By holding institutions accountable, setting up grievance redressal mechanisms and quick relief measures, UGC will ensure that no student feels harassed or sidelined because of their caste identity. The new rules emphasize dignity, respect and equal access to education for all students regardless of caste and creed, reinforcing the idea that discrimination has no place in academic spaces.
What is Caste Discrimination?
Caste discrimination is a deep-rooted social exclusion and denial of rights to certain people based on their birth into a specific social group with fixed inherited status. Caste Discrimination often involves notions of ritual purity and assigned labor, leading to unfair inequalities in education, employment, housing and dignity, despite being legally abolished in India. As per the caste system, the lower castes in the hierarchy are called ‘untouchables’ or ‘Dalits’ who must stay away from religious places, lucrative work opportunities and areas of social prominence. Untouchables are considered inferior; therefore, they are subject to severe penalties for deviating from norms, including forced menial work, social exclusion and intense bullying.
Major Causes of Caste Discrimination in India
Caste discrimination stems from deep rooted beliefs about the concept of purity and pollution, assigning inherent status and occupations based on birth, leading to the exclusion of lower castes from social and economic opportunities, forcing them to accept unfair treatment and menial work. Let’s take a look at the major causes of caste discrimination in India.
1. Concept of Purity and Pollution
There has been a set belief system that certain castes are inherently ‘pure’ and others 'polluted’. This belief system justifies segregation and exclusion of Dalits because people consider them too corrupted or impure to enter sacred places or access opportunities meant for higher castes such as education or high wage occupations.
2. Inherited Status and Occupation
The system links caste to birth, assigning specific menial or ‘dirty’ jobs like manual scavenging or leatherwork to lower castes, while not allowing them to access work that have high wages or require intellectual superiority. This inherited status and occupation limits the growth of anybody born into a lower caste family, assuming their life as a matter of ‘destiny’.
3. Economic Dependence
Historical unequal distribution of rights, land and opportunities creates economic dependence, reinforcing power imbalances and making lower castes vulnerable to exploitation and harassment. This creates a cycle of repeated poverty which the lower caste people never get to break.
What is the University Grants Commission (UGC)?
The University Grants Commission (UGC) was established by Parliament in 1956 under the Ministry of Education. It is responsible for coordinating, maintaining and setting standards for higher education, providing funds to universities, recognizing institutions and promoting quality in terms of education and services. It acts as an important pillar for Indian universities, ensuring development and quality through funding, policy advice and relevant law implementations. UGC’s main office is in New Delhi and has regional centres across the country.
What is the Need of Anti-Caste Discrimination Measures in Education?
The University Grants Commission introduced the Promotion of Equity 2026 in higher educational institutions to make universities and colleges safer and more equal for all students. These regulations aim to prevent caste discrimination by explaining what behaviours count as discrimination and how institutions should deal with it. For many years, there have been repeated reports of students from marginalised and backward communities facing unfair treatment, exclusion and harassment because of their caste. Such incidents showed that existing rules were not strong enough to provide a safe learning space to all students. Therefore, there was a need for stricter regulation. The new regulations will allow colleges and universities to set up better systems to address complaints, ensure accountability and take strict action against those who violate the rules.
Background of Caste-based Discrimination in Higher Education
Caste-based discrimination continues to be a serious problem in India’s higher education space. Students from scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes are targeted. They often face social isolation, unfair treatment, biased evaluation, bullying in hostels and poor systems for addressing complaints. These problems have been pointed out many times by committees, court rulings and even students who have been victims of discrimination.
To deal with this problem, the University Grants Commission introduced anti-discrimination measures in 2012, which required universities to set up Equal Opportunity Cells. However, these measures were not properly implemented back then because monitoring was weak, and conditions in campuses showed that a stronger and more accountable system was needed.
UGC Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations 2026
The University Grants Commission has released a notification about Promotion of Equity 2026. This aims to tackle the problem of caste discrimination in higher educational institutions. These new rules replace the UGC promotion of equity in higher educational institutions regulations 2012 framework, providing a more robust and strict mechanism to protect students and staff from scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes. These rules were created due to persistent reports of discrimination on campuses. There have been serious cases such as the Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi case which resulted in suicide. Data suggests a 118.4% rise in reported caste discrimination cases between 2019 and 2024, which is very alarming and creates a need for stricter measures.
Key Features of UGC Promotions of Equity Regulations 2026
The UGC Promotion of Equity Regulations 2026 aims at strengthening anti-discrimination on campuses through initiatives such as mandatory equal opportunity centres, strict institutional accountability, broad definitions of discrimination and robust grievance redressal, aiming for structural change by making institution heads responsible for any harassment. The new rules also aim at clear monitoring through regular committees that will address problems. Here key features of Promotions of the Equity Regulations 2026.
1. Mandatory Inclusion of OBCs
The new regulations strictly include OBCs within the protection mechanism against caste-based discrimination in higher educational spaces. This is a major relief because the previous draft had excluded them. Now, along with OBCs, SC, ST, PwBDs and women will be included in the protection mechanisms.
2. Establishment of Equal Opportunity Centres
All higher educational institutions are required to set up Equal Opportunity Centres to promote equality, provide support and manage complaints. Failure to do so will result in strict actions and penalties from UGC, which can even lead to cancellation of UGC certification of the institution.
3. Equity Committees
As per the Promotion of Equity 2026 guidelines, a mandatory committee must be established and chaired by the head of the institution to review complaints and ensure fair treatment. The committee must include representatives from SCs, PwBD, STs, OBCs and women.
4. Time Bound Grievance Redressal
Upon receiving a complaint, the equity committee must solve the problem within 24 hours, and a report must be submitted within 15 working days. This will result in quick justice for victims and stronger protection mechanisms.
5. 24/7 Helpline and Reporting
As per the guidelines of Promotion of Equity 2026, institutions must operate a 24-hour equity helpline and an online system for reporting complaints to ensure there is no scope for harassment at any time of the day.
6. Accountability of Institutions
With stricter regulations, the head of the institution will be directly responsible for any discrimination case, violation of rules and sufferings of students or staff from marginalised communities. This time, institutions can no longer escape accountability or push issues under the carpet.
Significance of UGC Promotions of Equity Regulations 2026
The Promotions of Equity Regulations 2026 are being seen as a significant step toward improving social justice in higher education, where students get to grow without any negativity holding them back. The UGC notified on 13 January 2026 about the Promotions of Equity Regulation 2026, which is a significant shift from advisory guidelines to a strict framework designed to prevent discrimination in Indian higher education spaces. Replacing the 2012 framework, the new regulations, which align with the national education policy 2020 mandate, will work to restore full equity and inclusion by legally binding institutions to prevent caste based discrimination. Let’s take a look at the significance of the Promotions of Equity Regulations 2026.
Strict Penalties Against Discrimination
Institutions failing to stick to the regulations as per the Promotions of Equity 2026 may be debarred from UGC schemes. They may lose their ability to offer degree programs and can even be removed from the official UGC list.
Quick Relief from Discrimination
The regulations provide strict timelines for actions such as the equity committee meeting within 24 hours of a complaint and submitting reports within 15 working days. This will provide quick relief from caste discrimination and will greatly protect the well-being of victims.
Mandatory Structural Changes
Every higher education institution must establish an equal opportunity centre to monitor everything and an equity committee to handle grievances. These mandatory structural changes will lead to better protection mechanisms.
Cast Discrimination Monitoring and Law Enforcement System
The UGC will set up a national-level committee that will include members from government bodies, commissions and civil society groups. This UGC committee will check whether institutions are following the rules, look into complaints of discrimination and suggest steps to correct problems and prevent them in the future. If an institution fails at sticking to the regulations, it may face strict penalties such as being barred from UGC schemes, being stopped from offering degrees, or even losing its status as a recognised higher education institution, which would have no value. This approach will create a safe learning environment for all students, regardless of background and will compel institutions to take caste discrimination cases very seriously.
Conclusion
Caste discrimination has been a major problem in the Indian higher education space. Data suggests a 118.4% rise in reported caste discrimination cases between 2019 and 2024. Students from SC, ST, OBD and PwBDcategories have kept facing harassment, bullying, partial evaluation and unfair treatment in academic institutions. To tackle this problem, the University Grants Commission have released the Promotions of Equity Regulations 2026, which will legally bind institutions to operate a 24-hour equity helpline and an online system for reporting complaints to ensure there remains no scope of harassment at any time of the day. The measures also include a national committee to keep an eye on institutions and the establishment of equal opportunity centres to promote equality among students.