SC gives UGC 8 weeks to finalise anti-caste discrimination rules; proposes witness protection, penalties

The Supreme Court has directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to issue guidelines within eight weeks to curb caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions (HEIs). The top court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the mothers of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi, and said that the UGC must consider stakeholders' suggestions before finalising rules.

The petition was filed in 2019 seeking a robust regulatory mechanism to prevent caste discrimination on campuses, citing rising student suicides and inaction by the administration.

Supreme Court's 10 directives for anti-caste rules

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi heard the matter and indicated that the petitioners' suggestions may also be considered by the UGC. Justice Kant noted that while some of the suggestions are “very good”, 1-2 solutions are “problematic”, the Live Law reported.

Prohibiting discriminatory practices: Explicit ban on caste-based harassment with disciplinary consequences.

Non-segregation: Avoid segregation of hostels, classrooms, and lab groups based on ranks or performance.

Scholarship disbursal: Digitised process to track delays and stop harassment of students over stipends and funds.

Grievance redressal: Committees with at least 50% members belonging to SC, ST, and OBC, and a chairperson from these communities. The order of such a committee will be appealable before the National Commission for SCs/STs, it read.

Protection of complainants: Witness protection should be implemented to prevent intimidation or harassment of the complainants.

Personal liability: Holding staff and head of institutions accountable for negligence.

Mental health counselling: Mandate to appoint trained counsellors to support marginalised students.

Accreditation and audits: NAAC should add anti-discrimination benchmarks and conduct social audits with anonymised data.

Action for non-compliance: Penalties including withdrawal of grants or accreditation should be imposed for institutions not following the rules.

Equitable learning support: Should develop bridge courses and learning support for students from marginalised communities.

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Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre, informed the apex court that the UGC received 391 responses from stakeholders. All the suggestions were reviewed by an expert committee, and now the matter is before the commission.

The petitioners’ counsel, senior advocate Indira Jaising, told the court that their grievance is that the regulations were not being implemented despite the case being taken up in 2019, and urged for a strict deadline.

Rohit Vemula, Payal Tadvi

Two Dalit students – Rohit Vemula, a PhD scholar at Hyderabad central university, and Payal Tadvi, an Adivasi medical student in Mumbai – reportedly died by suicide due to caste-dicscriminatiin in 2016 and 2019 respectively.

Their mothers – Radhika Vemula and Abeda Salim Tadvi – filed the PIL demanding stringent rules to end caste bias in universities. They argued that the existing guidelines lack enforcement, do not ensure independent redressal, and ignore such discrimination complaints.