India, Jan. 29 -- In a significant intervention, the Supreme Court of India on Thursday stayed the University Grants Commission's 2026 regulations on preventing caste-based discrimination in higher education, observing that the framework is "prima facie vague", capable of misuse and could have "very sweeping consequences" for society.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the regulations, if implemented in their present form, could have a "dangerous impact" and end up dividing society. The court sought responses from the Centre and the University Grants Commission by March 19 on petitions challenging the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026.

Keeping the contentio...