The Supreme Court of India, addressing the persistent issue of caste discrimination in educational institutions, announced on Friday its commitment to developing an effective mechanism to eradicate such practices. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, presiding over the bench, have directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to advance draft regulations that would prevent discrimination based on caste in central, state, private, and deemed universities.
The court has asked the UGC to provide data on the number of institutions that have established equal opportunity cells, in line with the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations) 2012, known as “UGC equity regulations.” The bench expressed a strong resolve to ensure these regulations are more than just text, stating, “We are equally conscious of this sensitive issue. We will do something. We will have to find out some effective mechanism and modalities to see that the 2012 regulations are translated into reality.”
During the hearing, the court also sought the central government’s response on the issue and mandated the UGC to submit data within six weeks regarding complaints of caste-based discrimination and the consequent actions taken.
This initiative follows the tragic deaths of students Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, which underscored the severity of caste-based discrimination within academic environments. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the mothers of both students, highlighted that from 2004 to now, over 50 students, predominantly from SC/ST backgrounds, have committed suicide in IITs and other institutions due to such discrimination.
The Supreme Court noted the delay in addressing these issues, with a PIL filed in 2019 seeing little progress. Justice Surya Kant remarked, “From now on we will list this petition periodically so that some effective solution could be found in the matter as since 2019 nothing much has happened.”
The UGC’s counsel presented that a committee had been established and had already drafted new regulations to combat caste discrimination. The draft is set to be published on the website to gather public objections and suggestions within a month before being officially notified.
However, the bench criticized the UGC for its prolonged inaction, urging swift implementation of the new regulations. “How much time is needed to notify the new regulations? You do it in one month and place it on record,” the bench commanded.
The hearing also involved Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and sought a response from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, which assesses and accredits higher education institutions.
