UP: Bareilly City Magistrate resigns over disagreement with govt policies

In UP, Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri resigned from the service on Monday, citing disagreement with government policies, especially the new UGC regulations. Agnihotri, a 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service officer, sent his resignation by e-mail to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Bareilly District Magistrate Avinash Singh. He described the new University Grants Commission (UGC) rules as a "black law", alleging that they are vitiating the academic environment in colleges and should be withdrawn immediately.
The UGC's Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, notified on January 13, has sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them. The new regulations -- introduced to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities -- ask institutions to set up special committees, helplines, and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students.
Talking to reporters after attending the Republic Day function in the morning, Agnihotri alleged that the new UGC rules would lead to atrocities against uppercast. The provisions were discriminatory and could lead to social unrest and internal discontent, he said. Claiming that democratic and republican values are eroding, he said he could no longer be part of the system. Agnihotri is an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, where he studied B Tech and LLB, and has also worked in the United States. Officials said his resignation on Republic Day has raised serious questions about the prevailing system and policies.