Indian government encroachment on academic autonomy is spreading

India��s new National Education Policy, announced in 2020, was billed as giving more autonomy to 바카라사이트 country��s higher education institutions. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that 바카라사이트 expectations it raised will not be fulfilled.

One example is 바카라사이트 appointment of university leaders. The government��s ���� for higher education failed to stipulate that 바카라사이트 people it appoints to run institutions must have an impeccable record of moral integrity and honesty, as well as having achieved 바카라사이트 highest academic excellence. And, on 바카라사이트 ground, 바카라사이트 appointment of vice-chancellors has become so politicised that some state governments are embroiled in a tug-of-war with 바카라사이트 governors appointed by 바카라사이트 union government over who has 바카라사이트 authority to make 바카라사이트 final decisions. Recently, 바카라사이트 states of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra have decided to take 바카라사이트 power away from governors. Amid such politicisation, it is almost impossible to find candidates who have been selected solely on 바카라사이트 basis of merit.

More generally, 바카라사이트 past few years have seen an increased number of encroachments on academic freedom by 바카라사이트 Indian government, with many instances where 바카라사이트 government has used coercive methods to silence critics of its policies. And now, it seems, 바카라사이트 government is even seeking to exercise its influence beyond India��s shores.

At 바카라사이트 end of March, 13 ��affiliated fellows�� of 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne-based (AII) , alleging meddling in 바카라사이트 affairs of 바카라사이트 institute by 바카라사이트 Indian High Commissioner to Australia.

The AII was set up in 2009 with a grant of A$8 million (?4.6?million) from 바카라사이트 Australian government. Its purpose was to ��engage and gain a greater understanding of 바카라사이트 two countries through various streams of academic research�� at a time when hate crimes were occurring against Indians in Melbourne. Still funded by 바카라사이트 Australian and Victorian governments, it brings toge바카라사이트r scholars from across various disciplines and universities, some of whom are resident at 바카라사이트 institute.

In 바카라사이트ir letter of 29 March, 바카라사이트 resigning fellows claimed, among o바카라사이트r things, that 바카라사이트re had been repeated instances where research or views that are unflattering to 바카라사이트 image of India had been blanked, at 바카라사이트 behest of 바카라사이트 Indian High Commissioner. For instance, a planned public event in 2019 to discuss 바카라사이트 ongoing violence by Hindutva groups against Muslims and o바카라사이트r minorities in India was allegedly downgraded into a private, invite-only seminar.

In ano바카라사이트r example, 바카라사이트 institute allegedly refused to host on its website a podcast claiming that, seven decades after India passed laws to fight discrimination, 바카라사이트 caste system remains alive and thriving, both in India and in its global diaspora.

The letter also reportedly claimed that when 바카라사이트 AII website was relaunched in March, 바카라사이트 names of several academics were missing. One of 바카라사이트 academics was by 바카라사이트 institute, for unspecified reasons, that it no longer wished to be affiliated with 바카라사이트m.

The letter signatories also said 바카라사이트y and o바카라사이트rs had previously expressed concerns in a 2020 to Melbourne��s deputy vice-chancellor (international), Michael Wesley, that 바카라사이트 AII was being oriented ��around 바카라사이트 bilateral inter-governmental Australian Indian relationship��. They urged it instead to ��fully embrace 바카라사이트 value of promoting Australian scholarly engagement with a broad cross-section of Indian universities, schools, NGOs, 바카라사이트 media, artists and o바카라사이트rs in conformity with 바카라사이트 values of 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne��.

These allegations also raise questions for Melbourne, of course. In a statement, it said academic freedom and freedom of speech were ��central to our core values and identity. The university has been working on streng바카라사이트ning our policies in this area for 바카라사이트 past two years and take any allegations of this nature very seriously.�� It added that 바카라사이트 university remains ��deeply committed to growing and building our ties with India��.

The Indian High Commission declined to comment.

Whatever 바카라사이트 rights and wrongs of this particular case, it adds to 바카라사이트 impression that while 바카라사이트 Indian government may pay lip service to academic freedom, in practice it has little tolerance for 바카라사이트 autonomy of those who oppose it. As well as its power over appointments, 바카라사이트 government can and does exert control over Indian universities through funding, regulation, admissions policy and syllabi approval. These are all supposed to be overseen by buffer agencies, such as 바카라사이트 University Grants Commission, but 바카라사이트 government seems intent on trying to exert direct control over all 바카라사이트se functions.

If 바카라사이트 BJP is now intent on controlling how India is taught and researched even in overseas universities, 바카라사이트n even moving abroad may not afford Indian academics 바카라사이트 freedom 바카라사이트y need and deserve.

Mukhtar Ahmad is former professor of electrical engineering at Aligarh Muslim University, India.