What India can learn from U.S. academic freedom crisis: When politics enters the classroom

The Hindu

20-05-2025

With conservative State governments in the United States enacting policies that opponents claim jeopardize academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and intellectual diversity, American colleges have recently turned into arenas for ideological conflict. Although freedom of thought and inquiry have long been defended by the U.S. as essential components of its higher education system, that basic foundation is currently in jeopardy. This incident serves as a frightening reminder to Indian administrators, students, and policy intellectuals of how readily university integrity can be undermined by politicization.
A disturbing pattern
Laws that limit the teaching of subjects like race, gender, and sexuality in schools have been passed in a number of conservative-led U.S. states, including Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. These laws, which were framed as attempts to shield kids from political indoctrination, have caused: Critical Race Theory (CRT) being prohibited in public institutions; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices being dismantle; and control of course content and library resources
Many educators are concerned about this top-down management because they perceive it as an open attack on their freedom to teach and conduct research. There are also requests to restrict or do away with tenure systems, which are a cornerstone of academic freedom.
Consider the discussion surrounding critical race theory.
The theory known as Critical Race Theory (CRT), which was created in American law schools throughout the 1970s and 1980s, essentially explains how racism is ingrained in institutions, legal systems, and public policy rather than being limited to individual opinions. The key underlying concepts are:
Racism is systemic; it is not limited to individual prejudice but is ingrained in institutions, laws, and structures.
Race is socially manufactured; it is not biologically based; rather, it is a social construct used for control and classification.
Privilege and power are important: Who gains from current structures? CRT poses challenging queries regarding inequality and justice.
To fully tell the tale of law and history, the voices of the underprivileged must be heard.
Intersectionality: When race coexists with other identities such as gender, class, or disability, particular difficulties might arise.
Affirmative action, housing laws, education inequalities, and police reform are just a few of the topics that are examined utilizing CRT. It promotes critical thinking about history, equity, and how we formulate laws to create a society that is more inclusive.
Although CRT is mostly taught in academic institutions, it has recently become politicized, particularly in the U.S., with detractors saying it sows discord. Advocates claim it makes it possible to have frank discussions on justice, history, and racism.
The conservative point of view
Advocates of these regulations contend that liberal ideology have taken over universities, turning them into echo chambers. They think that more balanced, ideologically diverse learning environments will result from eliminating some types of content and regaining control over the curriculum. But rather than promoting conversation, the methods used to achieve this goal frequently entail stifling it.
Some conservative leaders have publicly expressed hostility against prestigious universities. Donald Trump has questioned the worth of an Ivy League education and referred to American universities as 'radical left indoctrination centers.'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that 'education is not about imposing ideology' but rather 'about pursuing truth' in his criticism of the New College of Florida and his doubts about Harvard's ideological neutrality. These remarks reveal a deeper hostility for academic institutions that are viewed as strongholds of progressive ideas.
The Harvard conflict
The difficulties are further exemplified by the recent impasse between the U.S. Department of Education and Harvard University, one of the most respected Ivy League universities. Following the 2023 Hamas-Israel crisis, a number of Harvard student organizations made contentious remarks that infuriated donors and the general public. The Department of Education launched a civil rights inquiry into Harvard amid claims that the university was encouraging antisemitism.
Although this action was purportedly taken for campus safety, it was widely perceived as pressure with political motivations. Opponents cautioned that these inquiries might be used as instruments of ideological control, using federal supervision as a weapon to threaten organizations that don't fit the prevailing political narratives.
The significance for India
India's higher education system is about to undergo a significant change. There is a major drive for increased autonomy, interdisciplinary learning, and international research collaboration with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, the U.S. case serves as a caution:
Autonomy is brittle. It is difficult to get back once lost: Indian universities, especially public ones, frequently have to balance academic independence with governmental supervision. The danger of political ideology controlling curricula is not only intellectual homogenization but also a deterioration in research quality, international recognition, and student readiness.
Politicization over pedagogy: The goal of education changes from inquiry to indoctrination when political narratives begin to influence curricula. It is discouraged for faculty to question prevailing views. Diverse worldviews and critical thinking are not presented to students. Additionally, the university stops being a forum for free discussion.
This risk is not fictitious. We have already witnessed attempts in India to marginalize specific academic disciplines, remove inconvenient viewpoints, and rewrite history texts. The decline of academic freedom may resemble the American experience if these trends continue unchecked.
Stakeholders in Indian higher education need to be proactive. They need to redouble their effort to boost institutional oversight to safeguard academic freedom; encourage scholarly organizations, not political appointees, to create curricula; encourage critical thinking instead than memorization; preserve research freedom and tenure.
Students also play a part. Students' conversations, not simply faculty arguments, should include awareness of and participation in academic freedom problems.
India needs to learn from other countries' mistakes if it hopes to establish top-notch colleges and establish itself as a global center of knowledge. The story of American institutions becoming politicized serves as a warning. Ensuring that the next generation of Indian leaders, scientists, artists, and thinkers are educated in settings that encourage truth, complexity, and free discussion is equally as important as protecting academic freedom.
Universities must continue to serve as the nation's guardian and conscience, promoting its essential diversity of people and viewpoints; the country's civilizational qualities, rather than acting as echo chambers in a democracy.