India, Jan. 29 -- The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday stayed the operation of the University Grants Commission's (UGC) 2026 equity regulations, warning that the new framework was capable of dividing society and could have "dangerous impacts" if misused.

The court directed that the UGC's 2012 anti-discrimination regulations will continue to operate for the present to ensure that complainants are not left without remedies.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also issued notice to the Union government and the UGC, seeking their responses to three petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, ...