Bias against OBCs must be counted as caste discrimination, panel urges UGC, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education urged UGC to include discrimination against OBCs in the definition of caste-based discrimination.
• The committee has asked the government to re-evaluate EWS reservation in Associate Professor- and Professor-level appointments.
• The panel recommended the immediate appointment of a Chairperson to the UGC, a position vacant since April.
• The committee reiterated discussion of the Draft UGC Regulations, 2025 with the Central Advisory Board of Education.

Detailed Insights:

• The committee, led by Digvijaya Singh, highlighted the near impossibility of filling EWS positions at the Associate Professor and Professor levels.
• Candidates for Professor and Associate Professor positions typically exceed the income criteria for EWS due to UGC pay scales.
• Several states have expressed concerns and provided suggestions regarding the Draft UGC Regulations, 2025, necessitating thorough discussion.
• The committee's recommendations aim to promote equity and address practical challenges in implementing reservation policies in higher education.

Key Concepts Involved:

• UGC (University Grants Commission): A statutory body responsible for the coordination, determination, and maintenance of standards of higher education in India.
• EWS (Economically Weaker Sections): A category for reservation in India for individuals/families with an annual income below a certain threshold.
• OBC (Other Backward Classes): A collective term used by the Government of India to classify castes which are educationally or socially disadvantaged.