CHENNAI: Describing the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2025 as a delayed but welcome step in reforming the higher education system scarred by deep-rooted discrimination and institutional apathy, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday urged the Union BJP-led government to strengthen the regulations by addressing their structural gaps and enforce them with real accountability.
"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," the Chief Minister said in his post on the X handle.
Stalin recalled that since the BJP came to power at the Union level, there has been a visible rise in student suicides within higher education institutions (HEIs), particularly among SC and ST students. "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.
Stating that the said goals of dismantling caste discrimination and the inclusion of OBCs within this framework deserve support, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister pointed out that the present UGC Rollback backclash is driven by the same regressive mindset as witnessed during the implementation of reservations based on the Mandal Commission recommendations. "The Union government must not allow such pressure to dilute regulations or their core objectives," he added.
The Chief Minister also wondered how Equity Committees chaired by institutional heads can function independently, especially when RSS supporters lead many higher education institutions. In this regard, the CM recalled cases like the suicide of Rohith Vemula, where Vice Chancellors themselves faced allegations.