MGKVP Varanasi Students Protest Against UGC Draft Rule

Varanasi: Students of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKVP) on Wednesday staged a protest against the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) proposed draft regulation related to handling complaints of caste-based discrimination, forcing the university campus to remain closed for the day.

Raising slogans and carrying placards, protesting students termed the proposed regulation “student-unfriendly” and warned that its current structure could create an atmosphere of fear and mistrust within universities. They alleged that the draft lacks adequate safeguards and may be misused, potentially impacting both students and faculty members.

Student leaders clarified that their opposition is not against addressing caste-based discrimination, which they acknowledged as a serious and sensitive issue, but against what they described as the absence of a balanced and transparent grievance-redressal mechanism. They demanded clear definitions within the regulation, a mandatory preliminary inquiry before action, and safeguards to prevent false or motivated complaints.

“The issue is not about denying justice to victims of discrimination, but about ensuring fairness for all stakeholders,” said one student leader during the protest.

The demonstration comes amid a broader national debate over the draft regulation. Several legal experts and academicians have raised concerns about its compatibility with principles of natural justice, due process, and academic freedom. Critics argue that without proper checks, the regulation could lead to arbitrary action and damage the academic environment.

Supporters of the draft rule, however, maintain that strict provisions are essential to ensure timely justice for marginalised communities and to address long-standing grievances within higher education institutions.

With protests now spreading to university campuses, students at MGKVP have urged the UGC and the central government to hold wider consultations with stakeholders before finalising the regulation. As discussions intensify, the issue underscores the challenge of balancing social justice with fairness, transparency, and trust in India’s higher education system.