New Delhi (Delhi) [India], January 29 (HBTV): Students, largely from the general category, staged a protest at Delhi University’s North Campus on Wednesday against the newly notified University Grants Commission (UGC) equity guidelines, demanding their immediate withdrawal.
The protesting students alleged that the new rules promote discrimination on campuses rather than equality. They argued that the guidelines lack any binding provision to ensure representation of general category students.
The revised regulations, introduced to curb caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, mandate the formation of special committees and helplines to address complaints, particularly from students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Tensions escalated as a large number of students gathered near the Vice-Chancellor’s office, breached an initial police barricade and attempted to move closer to the administrative block. Police personnel deployed at the site later closed the main university gate to prevent further escalation.
The protesters claimed that the new UGC guidelines violate the principle of ‘educational equality’ by excluding general category students from representation. They demanded that the framework ensure equity for all sections of society.
Holding placards, the students raised slogans such as ‘Equity for all, not for few’, ‘Education with justice builds a strong nation’, ‘Kaala kanoon vaapas lo’, and ‘Rajneeti Murdabaad’. They warned that the agitation would be intensified if their demands were not addressed.
Speaking at the protest, student Satvik Sharma said the demonstrators were seeking a clear rollback of the regulations. He contended that an existing grievance redressal mechanism notified through a 2013 gazette already addressed discrimination issues and questioned the lack of clarity in the new rules.
‘There is no clear procedure. The definition of discrimination is vague, and the UGC should clearly specify what constitutes discrimination. If there is no rollback, we will go to Parliament and the courts. This black law will not be accepted,’ Sharma said.
Another protester, Akhilesh Tiwari, alleged that the guidelines were tilted in favour of specific categories and failed to ensure equity. He claimed that ambiguities and loopholes in the regulations could lead to misuse and said the movement would be taken to Parliament if necessary.
He added that the students were not opposing safeguards against discrimination but were demanding amendments based on principles of natural justice, alleging that the general category had been excluded from the framework.
The new rules, notified by the UGC on January 13 as an update to its 2012 regulations on the subject, have drawn criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could result in discrimination against them.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday sought to address concerns over the regulations, assuring that the law would not be misused and that there would be no discrimination in its implementation.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kalraj Mishra criticised the guidelines, calling them unconstitutional and alleging that they promote separatism and caste-based discrimination instead of ensuring equal opportunity for all students. (ANI)