The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) newly notified Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, intended to strengthen safeguards against caste-based discrimination on campuses, have instead triggered protests and a legal challenge in the Supreme Court. Two separate petitions challenge their constitutional validity and are likely to be mentioned before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant later this week for directions on listing and hearing. (HT_PRINT) While the UGC says the regulations are meant to promote inclusion and accountability, critics said the framework adopts a narrow definition of caste-based discrimination, effectively excluding large sections of students and faculty from its protection, news agency PTI reported. Also Read | Student groups protest at UGC office against anti-casteism rules: What are the ‘equity regulations’, why the row The matter has also reached the Supreme Court. Let’s break it down as protests escalate: What are the equity regulations? Notified on January 13, the regulations replace the UGC’s 2012 anti-discrimination guidelines and mandate the creation of Equity Committees, Equity Squads, helplines and monitoring mechanisms in colleges and universities. …