Context
The Free to Think 2026 report by Scholars at Risk (SAR) has placed India’s Academic Freedom Index (AFI) value at 0.14, categorising academic freedom as “severely restricted”. This is SAR’s assessment, based on its methodology and monitoring of higher education.
Explanation
- Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network working to protect scholars and promote academic freedom.
- Its annual Free to Think report documents attacks affecting scholars, students and higher-education institutions.
- Academic Freedom Index (AFI) measures freedom to research and teach, academic exchange and dissemination, institutional autonomy, campus integrity, and academic and cultural expression.
- AFI ranges from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating greater academic freedom.
- India’s AFI declined from 0.16 in 2024 to 0.14, according to the report.
- Globally, SAR documented 382 attacks across 59 countries and territories from July 2025 to June 2026.
- Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2); academic freedom is not separately enumerated as a Fundamental Right.
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Academic Freedom Index 2026: India and Higher Education