Before diving into the raging UGC controversy gripping the nation, I would like to share a personal note as a teacher—one that I often repeat to my students. Discrimination usually stems from envy or prejudice. People hate seeing others outshine them.

But here’s the exception: a parent beams with pride when their child surges ahead, and a teacher feels the same glow watching his students excel.

In that “defeat," they spot their own victory, forged through their nurturing role. Their shadow lingers in those triumphs. I can vouch, countless teachers would have shaped students like their own kids, regardless of their caste or community. In a bustling classroom or years as a research mentor, students become just that: students. No caste label. They bond with you over your knowledge and dedication, not your caste background, and vice-versa.

Contrast this with the much-touted campus discrimination stories. They’re actually not as rampant as made out to be, and to justify the UGC’s one-sided, risky “equity promotion" law—a powder keg for misuse. UGC seems to have bulldozed this without campus-wide consultations—ignoring teachers, students, VCs, and stakeholders who could’ve flagged the lopsidedness early on. No town halls, no feedback loops, just a top-down diktat has made it controversial. On campus, students make friends and rivals; they spat and yet collaborate with each other, often without caste considerations. That’s how healthy societies are formed. Now imagine the scenario post-UGC........

© News18