Supreme Court Seeks Data on Equal Opportunity Cells in Colleges
New delhi January 03,2025
In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the mothers of Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi addressing caste discrimination in higher educational institutions (HEIs), the Supreme Court on Friday directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to compile and furnish data on Equal Opportunity Cells in universities and actions taken under the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2012. The directive applies to central, state, private, and deemed universities.
The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, passed the order after hearing Senior Advocate Indira Jaising and Advocate Disha Wadekar, who represented the petitioners. They highlighted the UGC’s failure to implement the 2012 regulations effectively. They also urged the Court to collect data from the Union of India and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, particularly on student suicides from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in HEIs.
UGC’s counsel informed the Court that new regulations have been formulated following recent recommendations. The bench directed the UGC to notify these regulations and submit them to the Court. While Indira Jaising pressed for data on caste-wise student suicides, Justice Kant emphasized a step-by-step approach, cautioning against opening too many avenues at once.
During the hearing, the Court was apprised of the alarming statistic that 115 suicides had occurred in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) alone between 2004 and 2024. Justice Kant assured that the Court recognizes the sensitivity of the issue and intends to conduct periodic hearings to ensure the 2012 Regulations are effectively implemented.
The 2012 Regulations were introduced to eliminate caste-based discrimination in HEIs and promote equity. The Supreme Court’s intervention aims to address systemic issues and establish accountability within the academic framework.
