Patna University students hold march in support of UGC regulations

Patna: Patna University students, primarily from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC), on Monday took out a march in support of the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026.The protest march commenced from Patna College and proceeded towards JP Roundabout near Gandhi Maidan via Ashok Rajpath, with hundreds of participants raising slogans against the Central govt. The protesters accused the Centre of undermining protections for marginalised communities in institutions of higher education. The march was stopped near JP roundabout, where police already barricaded the area to prevent further movement towards Dak Bungalow crossing. As students attempted to push forward, climbing over barricades and rasing slogans, a minor altercation ensued with the police. Authorities called in a water cannon and riot control vehicles as a precautionary measure amid the escalating situation.During the nearly three-hour stand-off, four students were detained for allegedly trying to break through the barricades. Student leaders, including Manish Yadav, Amar Azad Paswan, Gautam Anand Yadav, and Gautam Paswan, were among those taken to Kotwali police station for questioning. A student fainted during the protest, and police officers promptly took him to a nearby hospital in their vehicle.DSP (law and order)-I, Krishna Murari Prasad, said that no lathicharge or water cannon was used on the protesters. He said police acted to maintain law and order by restraining the group at JP roundabout. “The detained individuals, including four youths accused of attempting to breach barricades, were later released on personal bond,” he told TOI.The protest caused a massive traffic jam in the Gandhi Maidan area and adjoining areas, with several school buses and other vehicles stranded for hours, disrupting normal life in central Patna.The protesters accused the Supreme Court of “double standards”, alleging stay on measures benefiting 85% of the population (SC/ST/OBC) while other laws receive different treatment. They demanded the immediate lifting of the stay (imposed Jan 29), full implementation of the 2026 regulations, and reservation in the private sector, among others.