Academic freedom shrinking in Modi’s India, says new report
New York: India has emerged as a stark example of shrinking academic freedom amid a troubling global trend, according to the latest report by Scholars at Risk (SAR), a New York-based international network dedicated to protecting scholars worldwide.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the report, Free to Think 2025, reveals that between July 2024 and June 2025, India witnessed escalating restrictions on free expression within its higher education institutions, amid a global surge in attacks on academic communities.
The SAR report recorded 395 attacks on universities across 49 countries, noting that both authoritarian and democratic governments are increasingly undermining academic independence through crackdowns, censorship, and political interference.
India, in particular, has seen growing limitations on campus activities, with universities demanding prior approval for protests, discussions, and slogans, while student demonstrations have been met with police action.
The report adds that violence targeting academics and students has also intensified. At Sri Venkateswara University, Professor Chengaiah, an advocate for Dalit rights, was assaulted by Hindu nationalist groups accusing him of promoting Christianity. At Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), seminars featuring Middle Eastern diplomats were canceled and the event coordinator dismissed, while in Udaipur, members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh disrupted a film festival, forcing its cancellation.
Several Indian universities have banned student demonstrations deemed “anti-establishment,” effectively silencing critical voices. These incidents, the report says, highlight the growing political pressure and intolerance faced by Indian universities.
