Miscellaneous News

Academic Freedom in India

September 19 , 2026 8 hrs 0 min 22 0

The Free to Think 2026 report by Scholars at Risk said India’s academic freedom remained in the “severely restricted” category.
India was placed in the “severely restricted” group along with Hong Kong, Indonesia, Pakistan, the West Bank and Ukraine.
India’s Academic Freedom Index (AFI) score fell from 0.41 in 2015 to 0.14 in 2026.
The AFI measures factors such as campus integrity, academic expression, research and teaching freedom, and institutional autonomy.
The report recorded 382 attacks in 59 countries and territories between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.
India recorded the highest number of attacks, with 42 cases involving violence, imprisonment or loss of academic positions.
The report said 50 of 179 countries experienced a significant decline in academic freedom over the past decade.