New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday stayed the recent UGC Equity Regulations on preventing caste-based discrimination on campuses, observing they are prima facie vague and capable of misuse. Meanwhile, let UGC Regulations 2026 remain in abeyance, and 2012 regulations shall continue, the bench said. The new regulations replace the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012, which were largely advisory in nature. The pleas assailed the regulation on the grounds that caste-based discrimination is defined strictly as discrimination against members of the SCs, STs and OBCs. The top court was hearing pleas challenging the constitutional validity of UGC Equity Regulations 2026 filed by Mritunjay Tiwari, advocate Vineet Jindal and Rahul Dewan.