The Supreme Court delivered a major blow to the UGC’s freshly notified guidelines Thursday, granting an interim stay amid fierce opposition. Petitions argued the rules, particularly Section 3C, foster caste-based bias through flawed discrimination definitions that clash with India’s Constitution.
During the hearing before CJI Suryakant and Justice Bagchi, arguments centered on punitive measures against students disclosing caste details and the formation of potentially prejudiced committees. The court paused enforcement until March 19, signaling deeper scrutiny ahead.
From Patna, Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary welcomed the decision. ‘Court orders are binding; we govern by them,’ he declared, reflecting Bihar’s administration’s judicial deference.
BJP’s Sunil Bharala lambasted UGC officials for crafting divisive norms that vilify upper castes and their students with derogatory remarks. Nationwide protests erupted, uniting diverse groups against provisions enabling FIRs post-caste mention and biased adjudication panels.
Shifting gears, Choudhary rebuked Mamata Banerjee for injecting politics into Ajit Pawar’s death, assuring governmental transparency and family solidarity. On the land-for-jobs controversy, he advocated swift case resolutions with unwavering adherence to judicial outcomes.
As academia watches closely, this pause underscores tensions between regulatory overreach and constitutional equity, promising robust future debates.
