The Supreme Court has directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to provide data on caste discrimination complaints received under the UGC (Promotion of Equality in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulation, 2012. The court also sought information on the establishment of Equal Opportunity Cells in central, state, deemed, and private universities.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan asked the UGC to submit details on the number of complaints received and the actions taken. This directive follows the UGC’s submission that a new set of regulations has been drafted based on recommendations.
The court's order came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, raising concerns over caste discrimination in higher educational institutions.
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During the hearing, the bench was informed that 115 suicides have occurred in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) between 2022 and 2024. Acknowledging the gravity of the issue, the court stated that it would periodically review the matter to ensure the effective implementation of the 2012 regulations.
The UGC has been tasked with compiling and presenting data on complaints and the functioning of Equal Opportunity Cells in higher education institutions across the country. This step aims to address systemic issues and promote inclusivity within academic environments.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the petitioners, argued that the UGC had failed to enforce the 2012 regulations meant to address caste discrimination in universities.
She urged the bench to gather information on the number of suicides among SC/ST students and the compliance of institutions with anti-discrimination guidelines.
The case was filed in 2019 by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, who both died by suicide following alleged caste-based discrimination.
Vemula, a PhD scholar at Hyderabad Central University, died in 2016, while Tadvi, a tribal student at Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai, died in 2019.
In 2019, their mothers filed a PIL in the top court seeking a mechanism to end caste-based discrimination on campuses.
They claimed that there is a rampant prevalence of caste discrimination against members of the SC/ST community.
They also sought a direction to all Universities and higher educational institutions to establish Equal Opportunity Cells on the lines of existing anti-discrimination internal complaints mechanisms and to include members from the SC/ST communities and independent representatives from NGOs or social activists to ensure objectivity and impartiality in the process.
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