Deccan Herald ·
Education
India named 'severely restricted' in academic freedom alongside Ukraine, Pakistan and West Bank
India's academic freedom slipped to 'severely restricted' in 2026 as per Scholars at Risk report. Government influence over universities, faculty dismissals and student protest crackdowns drove the decline. Global academic freedom also fell sharply in 50 of 179 countries assessed.
Scholars at Risk report points to government influence over higher education, restrictions on student expression and action against faculty members.