— ✍️ Vikash Raj
As we are aware of the fact that our society is differentiated along several lines and of which predominantly the persistent caste segregation. This caste segregation is not like sets of “differences” as pretentiously common understanding today but a rigid structure of “inequality and discrimination”. This social evil of caste- based discrimination is unlike a game where every one has an equal say, that is to say few caste groups in India who presupposes and projected themselves as self- privilege caste whose members have the secured structural-cultural capacity to dominate the academic ecosystem because of the visible and articulate presence of their caste- belongings whereas for the rest disadvantaged caste groups, negligible presence of such facets prove that conversely is not true for them. True to an acknowledgment of the fact that along with these few castes, many middle castes groups are more potential discriminator towards most disadvantaged castes in society and its reflection even into the higher educational institutions in India. But, since oral historio-myth of Eklavya, the cultural history of Gurukulas and the educational institutional practices of even today indicates the relative absence of disadvantaged groups and their experiences of infliction, violation and exclusion from those sites of teaching- learning centres. To redeem dignity among these marginalised people, educational centres should ensure their proportionate presence and through which real fraternity will be inculcated, this invariably strengthens the national morale and competence.
The current political dispensation accrue towards engrossing students enrollment into higher education, further substantiated by the inclusivity and full equity objectives of New Education Policy 2020. Thus to make it a realizable entity, the impediments of caste discrimination and exclusion in academic spaces should be addressed in an intentful structural- engaging way. The UGC itself in its assessment put that in the last five years there has been a rampant rise of 118% caste- based discrimination and humiliation cases against disadvantaged caste groups in higher institutions in India. Though much as to remedify these concerning and alarming issues, the apex court has often highlighted the ineffectiveness of previously recommended SC/ST grievance redressal cells and UGC regulation 2012 and to suggest a fresh workable constitution of Equity centres in all educational institutions.
Lets explore the assertions and controversies around UGC equity regulation-2026. To get deeper and nuanced insights, I conveniently and consciously choose two rival broad categorizations to make sense of the current context in which some of the hypothetical questions are raised, seeking clarification of UGC equity regulation 2026. The first category of savarna jati which constitute roughly 15-18% of total Indian population and the second category of avarna jati constitute the remaining population. Somehow, Savarna jati is encapsulated as ‘General’ in reference to normal and standard whereas Avarna jati is understood as relatively backward, less privileged and also vulnerable, constituted as OBCs, SCs and STs as per constitutional categorisation. Typically, this UGC equity regulation is opposed vehemently by non other than savarna category people of this country of which most are not even part of this university ecosystem. In counter to that, avarna mobilisation sees it as an orchestrated attempt of re-emphasis of blatant caste- based discrimination and to maintain prolonged humiliation and oppression onto them in academic spheres. So, clearly these two block intellectuals and non- intellectuals are face-off and I think this contemporary chaos across universities propelled us to dissect some hypothetical questions alleged from category one against the experienced social reality of category two. As a caution, exceptions may exist in both blocks, who can go beyond his/her situatedness and stand the other way.
1. Absence of Immunity For General category students:
Its not true at all, if one can go through UGC equity regulation, 2026 gazette clearly states that, ‘To eradicate discrimination only on the basis of religion, race, gender, place of birth, caste or disability, particularly against the members of SCs, STs, OBCs, EWS, PwDs and to promote full equity and inclusion amongst the stakeholders in higher educational institutions’. Thus, the general category women and PwD wards are into the consideration of regulation. But the question they raised is what if the general category people are victims of reverse caste- discrimination. So to this concern, we must acknowledge the fact which i mentioned earlier that sociological structure of caste are such that in no way the self privileging caste get discriminated by less hierarchical caste group across religious and regional denominations in India and to validate the point there hasn’t any cases registered as of now in the jurisprudence history of India. This isn’t the normal happening in society or institutions therefore general caste people’s right to natural justice are not infringed, rather its a havoc propagated by casteist media- intellectuals. And to its pretext, they have started mobilising and built consensus against the Modi-Shah regime.
In fact, the avarna category people highlighting the self-priveledging caste hegemonic apparatus that put disadvantaged caste people to peril, expulsion and the sometimes systemic killings into the university campuses, examples from Rohith Vemula, Payal Tadvi, Darshan Solanki, Mutthukrishnan, Aniket Ahir and Pallavi and to many more who all have suffered caste violence, humiliations and discrimination in certain degrees and this phenomenon isn’t get eradicated even today.
2. Instrument of political vendetta against general category people:
The obscurity is that, the misuse may be intended politically to downgrade the general category people of any rank and profile for punitive entertainment. Technically, this prospectivity of misuse could be applied to all existing rules and regulation of our country, but the substance to it that there is numerous provision through which it passes, for instance suppose i compliant false case of caste- discrimination on my general caste Professor, what then this complaint should process from screening to inquiry and then only judgement. I am conscious while appealing to kindly recognise the wisdom and merits of the committee members before whom the case is pending. If ever that judgment gone wrong, the entire legal system is open for him.
An outlook of socio-institutional realities of higher educational institutions in India
We know that the downtrodden- disadvantaged caste people experience caste- based discrimination and humiliation on a daily basis in a varied degree of the institutional-social setup. This disadvantaged class even to dare to question and contemplate such inflictions requires sufficient standing which has been crushed in the mental makeup in a historical continuum. So not to blame any individuals, we as citizens need to handhold to annihilate the caste related issues.
At inception level to college campuses, many disadvantaged caste people witness digital divide and lack of awareness, financial crises to meet formal and informal assistance. Once they are part of a college, they regressively face language hurdles in getting syllabus and curriculum. Since they lack cultural and social capital as well, bears most infliction in making belongings. So this manifold victimisation leads to selflessness and alienation that sometimes leads to suicide. Again if one can cross that level, the next hurdle is of Not found suitable, a brutal face-off barricading in the job appointments of marginalised- disadvantaged groups. Therefore, let's welcome and strengthen the UGC equity regulation in full spirit so that no one falls prey to casteism in campuses at the hands of faculty members, staff or peers.
It is a revision of UGC (promotion of equity in HEI) regulation, 2012 and aligned with the vision of NEP 2020. This regulation limits its operation within legit confines of UGC affiliate institutions, thus other higher institutions like IITs, IIMs, Medical & Engineering Institutes remain outside of it. It proposes the structures in which every HEI shall establish an Equal Opportunity Centre to oversee the effective implementation of policies and programmes for disadvantaged groups; provided that at least five faculty members establish an Equal Opportunity Centre. The governing body or executive council of the HEI shall nominate a regular senior Professor as Coordinator of the centre.
The Equal Opportunity centre shall have an equity committee to manage the functioning of the centre, constituted by the head of the institution. The equity committee consists of the head of the institutions, who shall be ex- Officio chairman, along with the members for a tenure of two years, these are three senior faculty members, one staff member, two experts from civil society, and two nominated students representative as special invitees.
The Coordinator of the Equal Opportunity Centre shall act as the ex- Officio member secretory. In those committees, there is an inadequate representation of disadvantaged groups like SCs, STs, OBCs, Northeast people, Women, Queer. The committee shall meet bi-annual to review the action taken on the received matters, and the quorum for the meeting includes Chairperson but excluding the special invitee, shall be four. Further, in a sense the student representatives as special invitee of the equity committee must be mandated into the quorum, otherwise stakeholders voices are disproportionately unheard.
It stresses on maintaining an online portal for reporting any incidence of discrimination, and also publishes bi-annual reports of its activities.Every HEI shall also constitute a smaller body to be known as “ Equity Squads” in required numbers, necessary for maintaining vigil and preventing any discrimination on the campus. HEI shall designate at least one stakeholder in each of its units known as “ Equity Ambassador” who acts as a nodal officer for implementing the programmes or actions in coordination with the coordinator of EOC. The “ Equity helpline” must be established that will function round the clock. The equity committee upon receipt of such information, shall meet within 24hrs to take appropriate action. Then within 15 working days, they have to submit a report to the head of the Institution and the copy of the report shall be sent to the aggrieved person. Then again, the head of Institution shall initiate further action within 7 working days.
To conclude, higher education institutions should be the epicentre of knowledge, equality and dignity instead of discrimination and fear. The UGC equity regulation fulfills the same by providing a mechanistic arrangement of anti- discrimination redressal, thereupon an aggrieved person can get justice without fear.
The ongoing resentment and protest against this equity regulation is completely nonsense, and has sparked civil upheaval in Indian society and polity, many political commentators assume it becoming a replica of the Mandal vs Kamandal movement of the 1990s. Henceforth, in the interest of everyone that we should comply with the regulation in letter and spirit. The onus is on privileged- general category caste to arrest the chaos, otherwise social calamity is bound to lead.
- Vikash Raj is a PhD scholar in the Department of Political Science at Delhi University.
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