T.N. CM Stalin welcomes UGC equity regulations, says Union govt. must not let pressure dilute them

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday (January 29, 2026) said the provisions in the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, seeking to dismantle caste discrimination and include OBCs within this framework, deserved support. The Union government must not allow pressure to dilute these regulations or their core objectives, he said.

“As seen during the implementation of reservations based on the #MandalCommission recommendations, the present #UGC_Rollback backlash is driven by the same regressive mindset. The Union Government must not allow such pressure to dilute these regulations or their core objectives,” Mr. Stalin said in a social media post.

The University Grants Commission’s regulations were a “delayed but welcome step” in reforming a higher education system scarred by deep-rooted discrimination and institutional apathy, he said. Since the BJP came to power at the Union level, there has been a visible rise in student suicides within the Indian higher education institutions, particularly among Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, Mr. Stalin contended.

“This has been accompanied by repeated attacks and harassment targeting students from South India, Kashmir, and minority communities. In this context, equity safeguards are not a matter of choice but an unavoidable necessity,” he added. Cases like the suicide of Rohith Vemula in University of Hyderabad, where V-Cs themselves faced allegations, “made it difficult to see how Equity Committees chaired by institutional heads can function independently,” especially when many higher education institutions are led by RSS supporters, he alleged.

“If the Union BJP government is serious about preventing student deaths, ending discrimination, and reducing dropout rates among students from backward communities, these regulations must not only be strengthened but also revised to address their structural gaps, and enforced with real accountability,” Mr. Stalin further said.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416. and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)