Academic freedom index: German-Swedish report places India below Pakistan, Sri Lanka

By A Representative
A recent study “Free Universities Report: Putting the Academic Freedom Index Into Action”, jointly prepared by two institutes in Germany in Sweden has placed India below Pakistan in its Academic Freedom Index (AFi), stating India is among the “one-third of countries with the worst performances in 2019” with a “D” status, with an AFi score, between 0.4 and 0.2 on a scale of 1.
Stating that India is one of the country which have de jure guarantees in place, while extensive violations of academic freedom occur in practice.” The report has been prepared by Germany’s Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Sweden’s V-Dem Institute.
On a scale of 1, while Pakistan scores 0.554 and Sri Lanka 0.506, while India scores 0.352. As a matter of comparison, United Kingdom scores 0.934, Brazil 0.466, Singapore 0.411 and Russia 0.364 (a little better than India), while Bangladesh and China a poor 0.195 and 0.101 respectively (in E status, below 0.2). The report says, there was “insufficient data” to rate US and Australia along with several African countries, Burma and Afghanistan.

Comments

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor* Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities.

The Dalit body on screen: Stereotypes, sacrifice, and subjugation in Hindi films

By Dr. Prem Singh* Despite centuries of reformist efforts, from Gandhi and Ambedkar to contemporary activists, the caste system remains deeply embedded in the Indian psyche. One of the primary reasons for this persistence is the religious sanction provided by Brahminical scriptures, which have shaped not only social structures but also cultural and artistic expressions.

Counterview

Search This Blog