India Academic Freedom Report places the country in the “severely restricted” category in the 2026 assessment by Scholars at Risk. The Free to Think 2026 report examined developments affecting higher education between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, and documented 382 attacks on higher education communities across 59 countries and territories. India was grouped with Hong Kong, Indonesia, Pakistan, the West Bank and Ukraine. The report cited concerns involving university governance, leadership appointments, campus expression, faculty dismissals, cancelled academic events and restrictions on student activities. It also discussed changes involving the University Grants Commission and cases affecting academics and higher-education institutions. Data cited from the Academic Freedom Index showed India’s score declining from 0.38 in 2022 to 0.14 in 2025. The report also recorded declines in academic freedom across several countries, highlighting a broader international trend in higher education.
India Academic Freedom Report: What the 2026 Study Says
