Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri was suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government on 26 January 2026, following his resignation in protest against the new University Grants Commission (UGC) equity regulations. The suspension order cited indiscipline and violation of service rules.
Agnihotri, a 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service officer, had sent his resignation to the Governor and district authorities, criticising the government’s policies and the recent UGC rules.
According to The Hindu, he was attached to the Shamli district magistrate’s office pending investigation.
As reported by The Indian Express, Agnihotri’s resignation was made public before it was officially accepted, and he made several allegations against the state government.
He posted images on social media with slogans demanding a rollback of the UGC regulations, which he described as a “black law.” The new rules, notified on 13 January 2026, require higher education institutions to form equity committees to address discrimination complaints.
As highlighted by Scroll, Agnihotri’s statement called the UGC rules discriminatory, claiming they would increase harassment of Brahmins and general category students. He urged Brahmin representatives to resign in solidarity and criticised the regulations for portraying the general category as “self-proclaimed criminals.” The district administration rejected his allegations, stating they were a result of misrepresentation.
As noted in an article by Hindustan Times, Agnihotri’s resignation letter cited a “complete erosion of democratic and republican values” and referenced both the UGC rules and the Prayagraj incident involving Swami Avimukteshwaranand. He alleged that the new regulations institutionalised discrimination and could lead to misuse through false complaints, particularly affecting general category students.
“The regulations mandate institutions to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students. Terming the regulations a ‘black law’, the 43-year-old official alleged that they are vitiating the academic environment in colleges and should be withdrawn immediately.”
Further details confirmed that Agnihotri’s resignation was submitted on Republic Day, and he was immediately placed under suspension. The order specified that a separate chargesheet would be issued, and the inquiry would be led by the Bareilly Divisional Commissioner.
The new UGC regulations were introduced to address caste-based discrimination in higher education, following Supreme Court directions. The rules require the formation of Equal Opportunity Centres and Equity Committees, with representation from OBC, SC, ST, persons with disabilities, and women. Critics argue that the regulations could lead to harassment of general category students and lack provisions for penalising false complaints.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.