Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:22am on 27 Sep 2026,Sunday India
India’s academic freedom has been classified as “severely restricted” in Scholars at Risk’s Free to Think 2026 report. The report recorded 42 attacks on academic freedom in India, the highest country total among the 59 countries and territories covered, involving incidents such as violence, imprisonment and loss of positions. India’s Academic Freedom Index score fell to 0.14 in 2026 from 0.16 in 2024 and 0.41 in 2015. The report cited concerns over university governance, faculty decisions, student expression and restrictions on academic events. It also highlighted political tensions and government influence over higher education institutions.
