Academic freedom in India is severely restricted due to expanding central government authority over university governance and curbs on student expression, a report said.
Published by Scholars at Risk, the 'Free to Think 2026' report documented 382 attacks on higher education communities globally between July 2025 and June 2026.
India's Academic Freedom Index score fell sharply from 0.38 in 2022 to 0.14 in 2025, placing the country alongside Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Ukraine in the restricted tier.