Letters to The EDITOR: Vague Regulations

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Vague Regulations

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified new Regulations to address caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions across the country. However, the Supreme Court ordered that the University Grants Commission Regulations, 2026, be kept in abeyance. The Court expressed certain reservations about the regulations, which are being challenged as discriminatory towards the general category. The Court suggested that the Regulations must be revisited by a committee comprising eminent jurists. The court observed that the Regulations are prima facie vague and are capable of misuse. The Supreme Court has stayed the University Grants Commission's (UGC) 2026 equity regulations, citing concerns over potential social division and misuse. The court has directed that the 2012 anti-discrimination Regulations will continue to operate until further notice. The UGC had notified the 2026 Regulations to promote equity and prevent caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions. Petitioners challenged the regulations, arguing that they were exclusionary and discriminatory, particularly towards students from the general category. The Supreme Court has sent a notice to the Centre and UGC, with the next hearing scheduled for March 19, 2026.

The Regulations in question were notified by the UGC on January 13, making it mandatory for all higher education institutions to constitute equity committees with members from OBC, Scheduled Caste, and Scheduled Tribe communities. The UGC tasked these committees with addressing discrimination complaints and promoting inclusion on campuses. The point, however, remains: increasingly, a significant part of the Court's most consequential activity is taking place without the fundamentally important element of public reasoning.

JAYANTHY SUBRAMANIAM

(cksumpire@gmail.com)

The death

of repair culture

I wish to highlight a silent but serious loss in our society-the disappearance of traditional repair arts like shoe-mending and watch-repairing and the deeper mindset change it reflects. Not long ago, a cobbler by the roadside or a watch repairer in a small stall was a familiar sight. With limited tools but immense skill, they gave broken things a second life. Their work carried patience, dignity, and an understanding that wear and tear is a part of use, not a reason for rejection.

Today, we live in a throwaway culture. Anything damaged is quickly replaced. Repair is considered inconvenient, even outdated. In losing these arts, we are not just losing livelihoods; we are losing a philosophy that valued care over convenience and restoration over rejection.

This mindset has spilled beyond objects into human relationships. Relationships, like shoes or watches, require effort, patience, and mending. Instead, we now discard relationships at the first sign of strain. Partners are changed, not conversations; exits are chosen over endurance. Emotional bonds have become as fragile as disposable products, replaced rather than repaired. The disappearance of repair culture has made us intolerant of flaws-both in things and in people. We forget that strength lies not in being unbroken, but in being repaired together.

I urge society and policymakers to recognize this connection and promote a culture of repairing objects, skills, and relationships. Saving these arts is not about the past; it is about safeguarding the human values that hold us together.

Noopur Baruah,

Tezpur

A Tribute

to Mark Tully

Through the columns of your respected newspaper, I wish to pay my heartfelt tribute to Mark Tully, an iconic journalist and a compassionate interpreter of India for the world. His fearless reporting, intellectual honesty, and deep empathy for ordinary people set a benchmark in journalism. He was a distinguished journalist and author best known for his long association with India. Serving as the BBC's chief correspondent in New Delhi for over three decades, he became one of the most respected foreign voices interpreting India to the world. Tully's reporting combined accuracy with deep cultural understanding, allowing him to portray Indian society beyond stereotypes. His books, including The Heart of India and No Full Stops in India, reflect his close engagement with the country's political, social, and spiritual life. He highlighted grassroots realities, rural concerns, and moral questions often ignored in mainstream discourse. Awarded the Padma Bhushan, Mark Tully is widely regarded as a bridge between India and the West. His legacy will continue to inspire readers and media professionals alike to value integrity, depth, and courage in public discourse. The nation has lost not just a journalist, but a thoughtful chronicler of its times.

Joydev Mahanta

Bapujinagar, Goalpara