25-05-2025
Why academic freedom matters
Althoughacademic freedom has been defined in many ways, the most comprehensive definition, in my view, appears in the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel. It states: 'Academic freedom is the right, without constriction by prescribed doctrine, to freedom of teaching and discussion, freedom in carrying out research and disseminating and publishing the results thereof, freedom to express freely their opinion about the institution or system in which they work, freedom from institutional censorship, and freedom to participate in professional or representative academic bodies.' To this definition, one might add that academics also have the right to act as public intellectuals critically examining matters of public interest and actively engaging with the broader public.
Various reports suggest that academic freedom is increasingly under threat in many countries, including the U.S. and India. Each year, the Academic Freedom Index (AFI) project releases a report on the state of academic freedom around the world. According to the AFI 2025, the U.S. and India rank 85th and 156th out of 179 countries, respectively. Notably, India has experienced a statistically significant decline in academic freedom over the past decade.
The American education system, once renowned for fostering and promoting critical thinking, now appears to be setting a troubling precedent for countries that have long looked to the U.S. for guidance. Critics argue that the Trump administration pressured institutions of higher education to align unquestioningly with what I refer to as 'Trumpicies', a portmanteau for Trump's policies. Recently, the government ordered Harvard University to reduce the influence of students and faculty in university governance, to cease funding student groups allegedly promoting 'criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment', and to report foreign students who violate conduct rules to government authorities. However, the university refused to comply and issued a bold statement: 'No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.' This courageous stance by Harvard's leadership has been widely commended by people from diverse walks of life.
Indian context
Has any university leadership in India shown such courage in recent times? The answer, unfortunately, is all too clear. The recent arrest of Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad of Ashoka University for his social media posts regarding Operation Sindoor has been strongly condemned by various political parties, faculty associations, and student bodies. They have described the arrest as a blatant violation of academic freedom. What is deeply unfortunate is that the Ashoka University administration chose to distance itself from the professor.
India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises the importance of critical thinking. But is it truly possible to cultivate critical thinking in students without engaging with recent, real-world examples? Consider the events following Operation Sindoor, launched by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Media outlets in both Pakistan and India were found reporting fiction as fact. When mainstream media spreads misinformation or disinformation — and such content rapidly goes viral on social media platforms like WhatsApp — it becomes the responsibility of educators to critically examine these reports and comment on them, with the sole aim of educating the public.
As informed and engaged citizens, academics and scholars are expected to discuss and debate issues of national and global significance, to stand for truth, and to raise their voices against injustice. This is also an essential expression of academic freedom.
Intellectual bedrock
Why does academic freedom matter? It matters because it forms the foundation of vibrant academic institutions and a progressive society; empowers faculty, scholars, and students to question, debate, and explore ideas without fear, which is essential for intellectual growth; enables scholars to challenge prevailing beliefs, ideologies, and the status quo, paving the way for breakthroughs across all fields; and upholds democratic values and fosters open, meaningful dialogue.
Educators play a crucial role in upholding academic integrity and freedom. If faculty and students confine themselves solely to their disciplines and avoid engaging with global issues such as climate change, gender equality, poverty, democracy, and human rights, they risk becoming insular and disconnected from the world. Education should empower students to think critically and respond to complex issues with empathy. As Paulo Freire said, 'Education is freedom'. Without academic freedom, education risks becoming mere propaganda.
Academic freedom is inseparable from truth. In his renowned work Truth and Truthfulness, Bernard Williams writes, 'The need for truth is not a luxury or a convenience, but a necessity. It is a requirement imposed on us by the structure of our consciousness.' When this insight is reframed by substituting 'truth' with 'academic freedom,' it gains even deeper significance.
The writer is an ELT resource person and education columnist. Email rayanal@
