Shouldn’t Citizens Engage in Democratic Processes, Question and Seek Change?

Newsreel Asia Insight #76
Dec. 18, 2023

A quiet transformation appears to be happening within the walls of India’s universities. The gradual restriction of academic freedom in these institutions isn’t just an issue for those within academia; its effects extend far beyond, touching the lives of citizens in profound ways.

The pattern of suppressing student voices is evident across the nation, from South Asian University to Visva-Bharati, reads an editorial by The Telegraph.

It cites the example of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which recently implemented a rule banning protests near key university buildings, with severe penalties for those who disobey. At South Asian University, students faced penalties for protesting to demand increased stipends for scholars, it continues. At Visva-Bharati, a central university, the management took disciplinary action against a student for making social media posts that supported Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, it adds.

India ranked in the bottom 30% for academic freedom among 179 countries, scoring 0.38 on a scale from 0 (low) to 1 (high), according to the Academic Freedom Index 2023, which evaluates five aspects: the freedom to research and teach, academic exchange and dissemination, university autonomy, campus integrity, and freedom of academic and cultural expression. Over 2,197 experts worldwide contributed to this assessment. India’s score was notably lower than Pakistan’s 0.43.

The report indicated that starting around 2013, there was a significant decline in all aspects of academic freedom in India.

Why does academic freedom matter?

Let’s start with the economic impact. The stakes are high. A nation’s progress is intimately linked to its intellectual capital. Suppressing academic freedom can create an environment hostile to innovation and critical thinking, directly impacting India’s global competitiveness, especially in industries that demand creative and independent thought.

Further, the international standing of our higher education system is in jeopardy. Academic freedom is a key attribute of leading educational institutions worldwide. As we erode this freedom, we risk reducing the attractiveness of our universities to international scholars and students.

One might wonder whether a country’s level of academic freedom actually impacts its’ attractiveness as a study destination?

A study by scholars from German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies, published in April 2023 and covering 167 countries as receivers and senders, concluded that a broader set of interconnected institutional factors influence a country’s potential  to attract international students as well as to be able to retain domestic students in the national higher education system. The factors include academic freedom, GDP per capita and the Shanghai index – an Academic Ranking of World Universities based on indicators of academic or research performance.

The observed trends in student mobility in India and the United States align with the findings of the study.

The All India Survey on Higher Education data spanning seven years, from 2012-13 to 2019-20, indicated a notable increase in the number of foreign students coming to India for higher education. In 2012-13, the number of international students was 34,774, which rose to 49,348 by the 2019-20 academic year – a growth of 42%. However, the majority of the foreign students coming to India were predominantly from other South Asian countries, notably Nepal, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

On the other hand, there was a significant increase in international student enrollment in the United States for the 2022/2023 academic year, according to the Open Doors 2023 report on International Educational Exchange, released in November, as reported by The Times of India. The total number of international students in the U.S. crossed 1 million, marking a 12% rise from the previous year.

Notably, India achieved a record high in its number of students – 268,923 – studying in the U.S. Meanwhile, China continued to be the leading country in terms of student numbers, with 289,526 Chinese students enrolled in U.S. institutions during the 2022/23 academic year.

More importantly, universities shape young minds in academic disciplines as well as in understanding and practicing democracy and civic responsibility. Universities are where students learn to engage with the world as informed, critical and active citizens. They are trained to challenge injustices, advocate for change and contribute to the public good.

Historically, universities have been the birthplace of significant social movements. Ideas and movements born in these academic environments often influence wider societal norms and policies.

Indian universities played a crucial role in the independence movement against British colonial rule. Prominent leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and many others were influenced by their university experiences.

And so was witnessed during the JP Movement from 1974 to 1975. Led by Jayaprakash Narayan, this movement against corruption and the Indira Gandhi government saw significant participation from students, especially from universities like Patna University and the Bihar movement.

In 1990, the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, which proposed increased reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs and educational institutions, led to widespread protests and counter-movements across Indian universities.

More recently, we witnessed the Nirbhaya movement in 2012. The brutal gang rape of a student in Delhi led to nationwide protests, significantly fueled by students from various universities, demanding stronger laws and actions against sexual assault.

A thriving democracy is built on robust dialogue, dissent and the free exchange of ideas. When universities become places where dissent is penalised, the message is clear: questioning and challenging the status quo is not welcome.

Academic restrictions risk producing a generation less prepared to engage in democratic processes, less likely to question and less capable of driving change.