UGC Regulations be based on “SABKA SATH SABKA VIKAS”

 

UGC Regulations be based on “SABKA SATH SABKA VIKAS”

The UGC Regulations fiasco reminds  the three concerns which were rightly  highlighted by Dr. Ambedkar on 25th November 1949 in the constituent assembly  Dr. Ambedkar said that having attend independence ,India  must abandon the bloody methods of revolution. Reason being that  when constitutional methods are open, there can be no justification for unconstitutional methods. Secondly, he cautioned that in politics Bhakti or  hero worship is assure road to degradation. Third thing, which he expected  republic  India to follow is  that to make political democracy as social democracy also? Dr, Ambedkar emphasized that the political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy.. He explains social democracy that it  means “a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life. These principles of liberty, equality and fraternity are  not to be treated as separate items in a trinity. They form a union of trinity in the sense that to divorce one from the other is to defeat the very purpose of democracy. Liberty cannot be divorced from equality, equality cannot be divorced from liberty. Nor  can liberty and equality be divorced from fraternity. Without equality, liberty would  produce the supremacy of the few over the many. Equality without liberty would kill individual initiative. Without fraternity, liberty equality could not become a natural  course of things.” 

 A plain reading of the UGC Regulations make it obvious that it lacks basic legal jurisprudence of principles of natural justice. The scheme of the regulations are in direct violation of equality under Article 14 of the Fundamental rights. One of the major objection in the UGC Regulations  is the presumption of  general class through portrayal that it is perpetrators of injustice .Having regard to these concerns the  Supreme Court  has kept the new guidelines in abeyance .The act of the Supreme Court underline the significance of the doctrine of separation of powers  asmuch as the institutional check and balance in the vibrant democracy. The  concern which arises is after the 77 years of republic India   is that the legal provisions must be progressive not retrogressive .Also that liberty , equality and fraternity can not be treated in water tight compartments asmuch as fraternity is the base of the pyramid where equality and liberty are sought to be achieved .The present central government claims the slogan sabka saath, sabka vikas but the UGC Regulations 2026  are just the opposite. Such failure warrants immediate corrective measures of the ministry concerned along with the fixing responsibility for the erring officials and all stake holders involved in framing of the anti social policy. It will not be an exaggeration that this act is one which threatens the unity , integrity  of the nation .Mole must be taken to the task.

It is the pressing need that the social fabric of Indian society be understood in right terms. Hindu way of life has been a self imposed mystery for the non natives .The difference between varna system and caste structure needs a holistic understanding . The difference between two is that varna system talks about the innate qualities of the human being whereas the foundation of caste system is on the birth in the family.The reformative nature of Hindu through saints , social reformers has been the hallmark of the Hindu way of life. Epics like Ramayan and Mahabaharat  in  ancient India ,Guru Nanak and   Kabir in medieval times and Swami Ram Krishna Paramhansa Vivekanand in modern India are the testimony to the fact that Hindu has been always open to reforms. Prohibition of untouchability and affirmative action to the deprived in the constitution scheme is another example of the promoting fraternity along with liberty and equality. The critics of the Hindu often fall victim by throwing the baby out of  bathwater.

Initially reservation provisions were only for members of schedule tribes and schedule castes. Thereafter other backward classes were included in the group of beneficiaries of reservation in education, employment and electoral participation leading to due representation in democratic setup. Also the separate commissions for schedule tribes, schedule castes and other backward classes demonstrates that the data in the statistics needs to be updated so that  Government can be informed about the ground level implementation of various welfare schemes. This also leads to the conclusion and demand  that a separate EWS  Commission be set up.This be brought into existence either through bringing a constitutional amendment or through statutory body. Possibility of misuse of UGC regulations 2026 cannot be rules out experience of the atrocities act proves this point. The general class being portrait as dominating in the society is a myth in year 2026. Data of Periodic Labour Report and the report of the Education Ministry reveals that the status of the general class is not as high as  often found in the rhetoric speeches of vote Bank politics. Advocate of Supreme Court Indira Jai Singh negative reaction on the decision of the Supreme Court on UGC regulations 2026 is not surprising she being known to be part of rhetorical group.

 

Sporadic events of discriminations are given disproportionate media space leading to narrative which is just opposite the ground realities. Today the President of India belongs to scheduled tribe.Till now two  members of scheduled caste has taken the oath of office of Chief Justice of India. The present Prime Minister belongs to other backward class. These three offices being constitutional in nature demonstrates the journey of Republic India from 1950 to 2026. Therefore, the affirmative action needs to be progressive seeking  balance  the Trinity of Liberty, equality and fraternity leading to social and national  unity integrity of all the citizens of India.

 

India has been cradle to all the major religions of the world. This is because of the distinct characteristics which it enjoys in the form of integration , assimilation and synthesis of the temporal in the eternal principles of life. India has been witness to the oldest university in the world in the form of Nalanda University and Taxila University. It is very unfortunate that temples of knowledge have been made the spots  of unhealthy caste  politics. The policy makers  of the UGC guidelines  must remember “SABKA SATH SABKA VIKAS” along with the poem of Rabindranath Tagore –

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

Where knowledge is free

 Where the world has not been broken up into fragments

By narrow domestic walls

Where words come out from the depth of truth

 Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.