PRADHAN PROPAGATING VICIOUS BHARAT

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Education Minister in Modi Sarkar since July 2012, had proclaimed New UGC Regulations 2026 as Viksit Bharat Regulations to establish a regime of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas but in reality, it is the reverse and we like to call it venomous and vicious Bharat Regulations.

As it is a most powerful allegations against Modi Sarkar, E-Touch is duty bound to prove its stand with clarity and without any ambiguity and without any bias. In order to make our points with 100% accuracy and to avoid the pitfalls of mere accusations devoid of substance and solid proofs, we are also publishing some pictures highlighting our stand which are available in our Photo Gallery of Pictures of Injustice to General Category at the end of the article.

Now let us plunge deep into the subject without any prejudice or malice.

University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 (popularly known as UGC New Regulations 2026), though proclaimed by him to include OBC for the first time into Reserved Category (27% reservation quota), is being accused as Vote Bank Politics of BJP and narrowing the entry path of General Category into Higher Studies. Now Reservations are around 60% leaving 40% to General Category.

A background check of the events unfolded so far is quite necessary to understand the issue in its holistic way.

In 2019 the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi - students from marginalised caste and tribal backgrounds, who had died by suicide in 2016 and 2019 respectively, alleging caste discrimination - had approached the Supreme Court. They had emphasised that it was essential to revisit the 2012 regulations.

After 7 years of hearings in the Supreme Court, the UGC notified the new regulations on January 13, 2026.

Incidentally, it is very sad of Modi Sarkar in not filling up the vacancy of Chairman of UGC, as it is now being temporarily held by an IAS officer by name Dr. Vineet Joshi since 11th April 2025 on the retirement of Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission who hold his 4 February 2022 – 7 April 2025. We are bringing this non-filling up of the most important constitutional head in UGC, as there are many burning issues coming up and the absence of a regular head is being felt.

Immediately after UGC notification of new regulations, there were protests by general category members.

They objected to the caste based discrimination and the removal of punishment to false complaints and also objecting labelling unreserved category as potential perpetrators.

Immediately, aggrieved General category filed a petition - Mrintunjay Tiwari vs Union of India and the supreme court intervened and on the 16th day of agitation, the regulations were stayed by SC observing that injustices were done to general category .

This New Regulations unfortunately had no remedial clause to file a complaint in case of provocative caste utterances against general category by reserved category.

Such general statements will not attract your attention and hence we are duty bound to bring to your notice specific instances happened in various educational campuses.

Reserved Category Members' Caste comments:

1. Whoever has an issue with UGC can just go to a gurukul, or traditional Indian residential education system. There you will also find a Dronacharya.

2. About reservation to EWS introduced in 2019: It is Sudama quota and they are Sudama Quota Wallas.

3. In December 2022, JNU wall was painted with: Brahmins leave the campus.

4. In Ashoka University in Haryana in 2024: Bramin- Baniyawad Murdabad.

In the New Regulations, the aggrieved General Category for such comments cannot make complaints to so called Equity Committees on the pretext that general category is considered as Villain and Perpetrators and can never become a victim of caste discrimination.

They are advised to seek remedies through other channels such as Courts etc. which are costly and time consuming. Hence the new Regulations are only of, by and for the reserved category which is against the spirit of our Constitution enshrined in Article 14, 15 and 21.

• Article 14 → equality before law (universal)

• Article 15(1) → prohibition of discrimination on religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth (applies to all persons)

• Article 21 → dignity, fair procedure, and non-arbitrariness.

To prove my accusation of 'New UGC Regulations are for Vicious Bharat', the observations of the Supreme Court, while staying the new ugc regulations are more than sufficient to prove my points.

The Supreme Court observed on January 29, 2026: The implementation of the UGC rules 2026 is stayed, as the regulations appeared "vague" and "capable of misuse." The government should therefor revisit the language to ensure that the framework protects all students without creating new forms of division. The regulations raise serious constitutional and social concerns which, if left unaddressed, could have far-reaching and divisive consequences for society, prompting judicial scrutiny of their validity and impact.

Shri Pradhan had, through his new ugc rules, try to pour three drops of poison into the mouth of General Category:

Poison Drop One: Reverse Discrimination Dosage of Poison through Section 2 (c).

Poison Drop Two: Unjust Formation of Equity Committees throwing Equality to the dustbin - Gross Unjust to General Category.

Poison Drop Three: Backdoor Reservation burying Merits fathom deep by giving extra marks over and above exam market for social disadvantageous category.

The gravity of these drops of poison will be understood only if they are explained in detail.

First let us take the case of Reverse Discrimination through Section 2 (c). Section 2 (c) defines caste based discrimination as discrimination only based on caste or tribe against the members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. And the general category are excluded from the definition and hence if any caste discrimination is felt by them, they cannot seek any remedy from these new rules and it is really undoubtedly a gross injustice.

And above all, the Regulations contain no mechanism to penalise “false complaints”.

Equity Committees have only members from reserved category and general category is completely unrepresented. Hence it is a mute point whether general category can get any remedy or justice and they will always be punished even before completion of enquiry and this creates a legal blind spot. It implies that a student from the general category cannot, by definition, be a victim of caste-based harassment or bias, effectively denying them the same institutional protection and grievance redressed mechanisms.

The last dosage of poison is the most unjust regulation and it is a backdoor reservation for the reserved category - a bonus point to get the benefits in the higher education admissions.

The 2026 rules include new weightage for "socio-economic backgrounds" alongside merit scores.

It is a pure cheat move to give some more advantage to the reserved category and this "backdoor reservation" further reduces the pool of seats available purely on competitive merit, making an already difficult landscape even more lopsided.

What does “weightage for socio-economic background” actually mean?

Traditionally, merit mean Marks / rank / performance in an exam or selection process. Under the 2026 framework, extra marks are awarded to such caste reserved category and exam mark plus this additional mark will deprive the merit holders of general category to enter higher educational system. Here exam marks are diluted and rankings are re-engineered and the goalpost also shifted after the match began.

Example:

The system quietly says: “Everyone competes, but some start with bonus points”

Merit is no longer only “how well you performed”, but also “where you came from”. Those who come from backgrounds that receive no weightage feel they are competing on an uneven slope.

Under the 2026 framework, merit is redefined as: Merit score + additional points for socio-economic disadvantages.

So two students with the same exam marks may no longer be treated equally.

A very simple numerical example will make the point clear.

Imagine 100 seats and one exam.

Old system (simplified)

Selection purely by exam rank

Rank 1 to 100 → get seats

Merit = exam performance only

New system:

Exam score 80% Socio-economic background 20%

Now consider two students:

Student A

Student B

General - Exam Marks - 90

No Disadvantage Background Marks

Total - 90

Reserved - Exam Marks - 85

Disadvantage Background marks - 10

Total 95

Net Result: Student B overtakes Student A, even though A scored higher in the exam.

This is the core issue.

EQUALITY AND EQUITY are pitched again Reserved and General Categories creating wide divide, unreconciled frictions, violent agitations spoiling the peace of educational institutions affecting their studies and researches.

In short People are not opposing equity as such but they fear arbitrary power without accountability. A Viksit Bharat needs Equity with justice and Protection with due process.

Complaints from reserved category are treated as truth by default whereas complaints cannot be logged with Equity Committees by General Category.

To remove the discrimination concern, the regulation should clearly state:

✔ Protection applies to all persons, including accused

✔ False or malicious complaints attract consequences

✔ Committees must be socially and ideologically balanced

Equity cannot be achieved by suspending equality. Protection of one group must not translate into fear or vulnerability for another.

With a heavy heart, E-Touch records that Modi's credibility in this scenario is terribly affected and it is time that he reprimands his Educational Minister Mr.Dharmendra Pradhan for all his failings and render Justice to General Category who are all his well wishers and supporters.