‘Will divide society and have grave repercussions’: SC stays UGC’s new equity regulations, issues noticeThe Supreme Court has stayed the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, reverting to the 2012 rules. Issuing notice to the Centre and the UGC, a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed that the 2026 Regulations shall remain in abeyance and ordered that the 2012 UGC Regulations will continue to operate until further orders. It will divide society and have grave repercussions.”Earlier on Wednesday, CJI Kant Kant agreed to list the matter for hearing after it was mentioned for urgent listing. The plea alleged that the new UGC framework institutionalises discrimination by denying grievance redressal mechanisms to persons belonging to non-SC/ST/OBC categories. It contended that the regulations violate the principles of equality and fair access to remedies in higher education institutions.