Supreme Court calls for stronger UGC powers to curb caste discrimination in colleges

The Supreme Court has underscored the urgent need for a "robust mechanism" to address caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

Expressing concern over the "extremely unfortunate" suicides of 18 students in the past 14 months, the court emphasized that the University Grants Commission (UGC) must be empowered with stronger punitive measures.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh on Feb 28 observed that existing regulations were insufficient to tackle caste-based bias and called for stricter enforcement. "We will create a robust mechanism to tackle the issue. We will take things to a logical conclusion," the court assured the petitioners—mothers of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi, two students who died by suicide after alleged caste-based harassment. The next hearing has been scheduled for eight weeks later.

Petition highlights gaps in existing regulations

The petition, filed in 2019, sought the enforcement of fundamental rights against caste-based discrimination, citing the "rampant prevalence" of such biases in Indian universities. Advocate Indira Jaising, representing the petitioners, told the court that many universities had failed to submit data on student suicides despite prior directives.

She further pointed out that nearly 40% of universities and more than 80% of colleges had not yet implemented systems to address caste- and gender-based inequalities.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the central government, informed the court that the UGC had drafted new regulations addressing many of the concerns raised. The draft rules have been published on the UGC website for public consultation. However, Jaising urged the court to conduct a final hearing before the regulations are formalized, a request that Mehta opposed, stating that suggestions could be submitted online.

Call for stronger regulations

The petitioners argued that the current UGC framework, established in 2012, lacks enforceable sanctions. Jaising urged the court to consider regulations similar to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act and the anti-ragging law, both of which mandate punitive actions for violations.

In a previous hearing, another Supreme Court bench had asked the UGC to outline the measures taken, and those planned, to ensure a safe and non-discriminatory environment for students.

With caste-based discrimination and student suicides continuing to make headlines, the court's push for stronger regulations marks a crucial step toward systemic reform in higher education institutions.