The recent Academic Freedom Index report reveals that India is among the lowest 30% in academic freedom among 179 countries surveyed. The concept of academic freedom refers to the liberty granted to scholars and researchers to carry out their studies without censorship, interference or retaliation from the government, private institutions, or other entities. This article brings to light the implications of this report and delves deeper into the state of higher education in India.
Understanding the Academic Freedom Index Report
The Academic Freedom Index is an annual report presented by the Global Public Policy Institute in association with Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Scholars at Risks, and the V‑Dem Institute. This report encapsulates the status of academic freedom around the globe in 179 countries, assessing it based on five key indicators. These indicators include the freedom to research and teach, freedom of academic exchange and dissemination, institutional autonomy of universities, campus integrity, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression. The scores for these indicators range from 0 (low) to 1 (high).
Key Findings of the Report
The report brings to notice that 22 nations, including India, China, the US, and Mexico, exhibit significantly reduced academic freedom compared to a decade ago. Only five small countries, housing only 0.7 % of the world’s population, celebrated an improvement in their rankings. In the remaining 152 countries, academic freedom failed to show progress. For most of the global citizens, academic freedom has regressed to levels noted four decades ago.
The Indian Perspective
In the report, India scored 0.38, which is less than Pakistan’s 0.43 and the United States’ 0.79. The country’s score in this index was relatively higher in the past, ranging between 0.60 and 0.70 from 1950 to 2012. In contrast, China’s academic freedom index was pegged at a meager 0.07 in 2022. India also fell short in certain specific indicators such as campus integrity and institutional autonomy, reflecting the extent of politically motivated surveillance or security breaches on campuses and constraints on academic and cultural expression related to political issues.
Reasons for India’s Declining Score
The decline in India’s score traces back to 2013. The lack of a legal framework to guard academic freedom has led to a widespread attack on this liberty during the tenure of the current ruling government. The institutional dimensions of academic freedom, including institutional autonomy and campus integrity, have been notably strained, along with limitations imposed on the academic freedom of expression.
Implications and Suggestions
Given that India and China are home to 2.8 billion people, their declines in academic freedom can pose significant global consequences. Therefore, it is crucial for education policymakers, university leaders, and research funders to champion the cause of academic freedom within their academic institutes and beyond. They should work towards creating an atmosphere that allows scholars and researchers to conduct their work without fear of surveillance or retribution.
