Lucknow, Jan 27 (PTI) Protests erupted in several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Aligarh, Sambhal, and Kushinagar, against the University Grants Commission’s new regulations, with student groups and organisations demanding immediate rollback.
In Aligarh, members of the right-wing student organisation Rashtrawadi Chaatra Sangathan and Kshatriya Mahasabha blocked the cavalcade of Hathras BJP MP Anoop Pradhan at the district collectorate on Tuesday.
The protestors also burnt an effigy of the UGC and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, warning that the agitation would be intensified if their demand for revocation of the regulations was not met by the Centre.
Later, the demonstrators submitted a memorandum to district authorities addressed to the President of India, seeking urgent withdrawal of the regulations.
On Monday, the same group of protestors disrupted a programme organised by the Hindu Virat Sammelan at the Aligarh Exhibition Grounds, where Sadhvi Prachi was the chief guest.
A brief scuffle had broken out, leading to confusion, before organisers persuaded the protestors to leave the venue.
In Sambhal’s Chandausi, members of the Brahmin Shakti Sangh staged a protest at Fawwara Chowk, raising slogans such as “black law rollback” and submitted a memorandum addressed to the prime minister through the district administration.
The organisation demanded amendments to the regulations or their complete withdrawal, warning of statewide agitation.
In Kushinagar, hundreds of members of the Brahmin community, led by the International Brahmin Organisation, demonstrated at the district headquarters, alleging the UGC rules undermined merit and equality in education.
Authorities said the protests remained largely peaceful and memoranda would be forwarded to the Centre.
The new rules notified by the UGC on January 13 — the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 — have sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them.
Under the new regulations, introduced to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities, the UGC has asked institutions to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students.
The protestors said the new rules will create complete chaos in colleges as the burden of proof will now be entirely shifted onto the accused, and there are no safeguards for wrongly accused students.
While the government said the changes aim to bring greater fairness and accountability to higher education institutes, many stakeholders fear they may deepen social divisions and pose fresh challenges on university campuses.
