BJP Faces Voter Fury Over UGC Rules Before UP Polls

The UGC notified the 2026 regulations earlier this month, updating its 2012 regulations. Among the revised rules, “caste-based discrimination” is defined as discrimination “only on the basis of caste or tribe” against SC/STs and OBCs. It removed a provision for punishments for false complaints, which was there in the 2025 draft.

The updated notification was a follow-up of the Supreme Court’s direction. The non-quota class is considered as the core vote bank of the BJP. The issue has erupted when panchayat polls are due in Uttar Pradesh and Parliament’s Budget Session will start from Wednesday.

As the protests against the contentious notification grew louder, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan maintained that “no one will be subjected to harassment and there will be no discrimination”.

“I want to assure everyone that no one will be subjected to harassment and there will be no discrimination. No one will have the right to misuse anything in the name of discrimination. Whether it is the UGC, the Government of India, or the state government, it will be their responsibility,” he said.

“I assure you that whatever system or arrangement is made in India will be within the framework of the Constitution. As far as this issue is concerned, it comes under the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction, and I want to reassure you that no injustice, oppression, or discrimination will be committed against anyone,” the education minister said in Rajasthan. The impact of the minister’s assurance is yet to be seen.

Even the hardcore supporters of the BJP are attacking the party and the UGC regulation as being “anti-general category” and calling it “appeasement” of the numerically-dominant SC/ST and OBC vote bank. There is considerable unease within the BJP on how the top brass will handle the issue.

The RSS, it is learnt, is also miffed with the issue. The RSS leadership, said some sources, are also receiving complaints from its cadre and the “impact” on the ground. The youth wing of the RSS, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, too has been “flooded” with complaints. The ABVP workers are getting complaints that the regulation will end up creating “hate” in educational institutions.

Social media was flooded with severe criticism of the recently updated UGC regulation. A trend has been started on X and other social media platforms #UGC-RollBack and #ShameOnUGC where netizens are venting their ire. The anger is also because the notified regulation has no mention of “false complaints”, which had been included in the draft which had provided for a fine or disciplinary proceedings in case of “false complaints of discrimination”.

Several BJP leaders, including MLAs, are receiving complaints from their constituents over the issue and some have even informed the party leadership that they can’t visit their constituency because of the growing anger. Protests are being held at different places, including campuses of universities.

What is more troubling for the BJP is that panchayat elections are scheduled in Uttar Pradesh. Many of its leaders are finding it hard to visit their respective areas due to this issue. Several leaders said the issue has unnecessarily created more problems for the ruling party in the state.

A senior BJP leader from the state compared the situation with 2018 when the NDA government passed an ordinance nullifying a 2018 Supreme Court ruling that was perceived as dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The NDA was forced to come out with a 10 per cent quota for the EWS general category after its faced severe criticism and protests over the ordinance.

“It’s bad… there is anger among the general category… there are people among us who misuse laws and rules… there should be strict punishment against anyone who misuse any law no matter which category that person belongs to,” said the senior BJP leader.