Protest against UGC guidelines staged in Agra; police prevent e-way blockade

The University Grants Commission (UGC) in January 2026 notified strict new anti-discrimination rules called the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations

Approximately 1,000 activists from the ‘Savarn Samaj’ (upper castes) held a tractor rally in Agra on Sunday to protest against recent University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. While participants attempted to block traffic on the Yamuna Expressway, the Agra police intervened to prevent significant disruption.

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The University Grants Commission (UGC) in January 2026 notified strict new anti-discrimination rules called the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, though the Supreme Court subsequently stayed their implementation

The protesters, primarily from rural areas near Khandoli, had gathered at the Mudi crossing, about 30 kilometers from the city, intending to march to the district headquarters. Anticipating the movement, police, supported by the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), cordoned off access to Khandoli using barricades, bulldozers and JCBs. Finding their path blocked, the group diverted toward the Yamuna Expressway, attempting to disrupt traffic between Agra and Noida.

In a press statement issued Sunday afternoon, the Agra police media cell clarified that the activists were protesting against a bill introduced by the UGC and were demanding its withdrawal.

“The protest gathered near the Mudi crossing in the Khandoli area, but no one was allowed to reach the Yamuna Expressway,” the police statement read. “The protesters were unable to hold their demonstration, and there was no traffic disruption on the expressway.”

The police further noted that while a few individuals attempted to access the expressway, they were persuaded to leave. The statement also refuted allegations of a lathi charge on Jalesar Road, clarifying that authorities simply cleared the road of demonstrators who were attempting to create a “jam.” Adequate police forces remain deployed at sensitive crossings as a precautionary measure.

This incident marks the third time this month that groups operating under banners such as the ‘Kshatriya Sabha,’ ‘Savarn Samaj,’ and ‘UGC Mukti Morcha’ have put security forces on alert in the semi-urban areas bordering Agra.

A similar protest against the UGC was also held at Gandhi Park in Firozabad, where leaders from the Akhil Bhartiya Brahman Mahasabha raised slogans. The group intended to hold a procession in the city, but police intervention prevented them from doing so.