Decline of Academic Freedom in India: A Report by Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR)
The criminalization of academic discourse and the erosion of academic freedom pose significant threats to the fundamental nature of higher education in the world's largest democracy. Universities have been the sites of dissent throughout world history. In India, they have been at the forefront of various movements, both during the colonial period and after Independence. The violent attacks on the university space, wrongful imprisonments and prosecutions, the use of force against students, terminations and expulsions and imposition of travel restrictions, threats to institutional autonomy, and other pressures violating the rights and safety of individuals have become a distressing phenomenon in India particularly in the last few years. Government is increasingly using its regulatory powers to encroach on academic space. In India, academic freedom saw a sharp downturn in all indicators in recent years.
