Academic freedom in India has been classified as “severely restricted”, with increasing government influence over higher education, restrictions on student expression and action against academics among the concerns highlighted by international network Scholars at Risk (SAR) in its latest report. The “Free to Think 2026” report documents 382 attacks on higher education communities across 59 countries and territories between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. It places India alongside Hong Kong, Indonesia, Pakistan, the West Bank and Ukraine in the “severely restricted” category, while countries and territories including Afghanistan, China, Iran, Russia, Turkiye, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and Gaza are placed in the lowest “completely restricted” category.
India score declines
The report says India’s Academic Freedom Index (AFI) score has declined sharply in recent years, falling from 0.38 in 2022 to 0.14 in 2025. SAR attributed the deterioration to growing restrictions on freedom of research and teaching as well as developments affecting university autonomy and campus expression. The trend is part of a broader global decline, with academic freedom deteriorating significantly in 50 of the 179 countries assessed over the past decade and improving in only nine. The report also points to a sharp decline in institutional autonomy in the United States, illustrating that concerns over government involvement in higher education extend beyond India.
Government influence flagged
For India, SAR alleges that the Central government has expanded its authority over higher education, influencing university governance, leadership appointments and academic priorities. It also claims that the BJP-led government has used the University Grants Commission as a major instrument for influencing the sector. Among the regulatory changes questioned by the report are policies concerning qualification requirements for vice-chancellors and the removal of the 10 per cent ceiling on non-permanent contractual faculty. These are the report’s assessments and allegations rather than independent findings by a judicial or statutory authority.
Faculty cases cited
The report cites several cases involving action against academics. It refers to the 2025 termination of South Asian University professor Snehashish Bhattacharya for what the institution described as misconduct against university interests. Bhattacharya and 14 other faculty members had earlier signed a letter expressing concern over the university’s handling of student protests. SAR also highlights the case of SRM Institute of Science and Technology assistant professor Lora Santhakumar, who was suspended and subsequently dismissed after social media posts opposing calls for war amid Indian military action against Pakistan. Her personal details subsequently circulated online and she faced abuse and threats, according to the report.
Campus expression under lens
SAR says university administrations also cancelled academic events and introduced or enforced policies restricting student expression. It notes that debates involving national identity, caste, religion, historical interpretation and academic policy triggered protests on several campuses, some of which resulted in confrontations between rival student groups or intervention by police. The report alleges that both national and state authorities took measures affecting freedom of research, teaching and publication.
SC order highlighted
The report also discusses a March 11, 2026 Supreme Court order concerning three academics involved in preparing an NCERT Class 8 social science textbook. The court had initially barred them from receiving public funding for future curriculum-development work after objecting to material it said portrayed the judiciary negatively. However, the Supreme Court subsequently modified its position on May 22, allowing public universities and state governments to independently decide whether the academics could participate in future curriculum work.
Globally, SAR says the combination of direct repression, interference in university autonomy and restrictions on research and expression is placing increasing pressure on higher education. The organisation has called on governments to protect institutional autonomy and refrain from political interference in curricula, university administration and academic work.