January 28, 2026 : The Union Government has assured that the newly issued guidelines by the University Grants Commission are intended strictly to address caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions and will not be misused. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said it is a shared responsibility of the Centre, State governments, and the University Grants Commission to ensure that the provisions are implemented fairly and not exploited under the pretext of discrimination.

The Minister added that the issue is under the supervision of the Supreme Court of India, and all actions related to the guidelines will be carried out strictly within the framework of the Constitution.

Earlier this month, on January 13, the UGC issued a regulation directing higher education institutions to establish Equal Opportunity Centres, Equity Committees, robust grievance redressal mechanisms, and round-the-clock helplines. These measures are meant to address caste-based discrimination and other forms of bias on campuses.

According to the Government, the new framework aims to make academic spaces safer and more inclusive for students from all backgrounds, while also strengthening existing anti-discrimination safeguards across universities and colleges.