What is academic freedom index in India?

Academic freedom index in India was 0.136 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in India?

The highest recorded value was 0.682 in 1990.

What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in India?

The lowest recorded value was 0.136 in 2025.

How does India rank for academic freedom index?

India ranks 152nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is academic freedom index rising or falling in India?

Over the last ten years it is down 66.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this India data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Academic Freedom Index in India

Name: Academic Freedom Index in India
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

India: Academic Freedom Index was 0.136 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.136

Change on year

down 7.5%

World rank

152nd

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.682

in 1990

All-time low

0.136

in 2025

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in India, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for academic freedom index in India is 0.136, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 126 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% on the previous year and down 66.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in India peaked at 0.682 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.136, in 2025.

India ranks 152nd of 174 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Academic Freedom Index in India, year by year

Annual values for Academic Freedom Index in India, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.164	—
1901	0.164	+0.0%
1902	0.164	+0.0%
1903	0.164	+0.0%
1904	0.164	+0.0%
1905	0.164	+0.0%
1906	0.164	+0.0%
1907	0.164	+0.0%
1908	0.164	+0.0%
1909	0.164	+0.0%
1910	0.164	+0.0%
1911	0.164	+0.0%
1912	0.164	+0.0%
1913	0.164	+0.0%
1914	0.164	+0.0%
1915	0.164	+0.0%
1916	0.164	+0.0%
1917	0.164	+0.0%
1918	0.164	+0.0%
1919	0.164	+0.0%
1920	0.164	+0.0%
1921	0.164	+0.0%
1922	0.164	+0.0%
1923	0.164	+0.0%
1924	0.164	+0.0%
1925	0.164	+0.0%
1926	0.164	+0.0%
1927	0.164	+0.0%
1928	0.164	+0.0%
1929	0.164	+0.0%
1930	0.164	+0.0%
1931	0.164	+0.0%
1932	0.164	+0.0%
1933	0.164	+0.0%
1934	0.164	+0.0%
1935	0.164	+0.0%
1936	0.164	+0.0%
1937	0.164	+0.0%
1938	0.164	+0.0%
1939	0.164	+0.0%
1940	0.164	+0.0%
1941	0.158	-3.7%
1942	0.158	+0.0%
1943	0.158	+0.0%
1944	0.166	+5.1%
1945	0.166	+0.0%
1946	0.166	+0.0%
1947	0.238	+43.4%
1948	0.475	+99.6%
1949	0.639	+34.5%
1950	0.652	+2.0%
1951	0.652	+0.0%
1952	0.652	+0.0%
1953	0.652	+0.0%
1954	0.652	+0.0%
1955	0.652	+0.0%
1956	0.652	+0.0%
1957	0.652	+0.0%
1958	0.652	+0.0%
1959	0.652	+0.0%
1960	0.652	+0.0%
1961	0.652	+0.0%
1962	0.652	+0.0%
1963	0.652	+0.0%
1964	0.652	+0.0%
1965	0.644	-1.2%
1966	0.644	+0.0%
1967	0.644	+0.0%
1968	0.644	+0.0%
1969	0.644	+0.0%
1970	0.651	+1.1%
1971	0.65	-0.2%
1972	0.65	+0.0%
1973	0.65	+0.0%
1974	0.621	-4.5%
1975	0.303	-51.2%
1976	0.296	-2.3%
1977	0.344	+16.2%
1978	0.636	+84.9%
1979	0.636	+0.0%
1980	0.633	-0.5%
1981	0.633	+0.0%
1982	0.633	+0.0%
1983	0.633	+0.0%
1984	0.633	+0.0%
1985	0.633	+0.0%
1986	0.633	+0.0%
1987	0.633	+0.0%
1988	0.633	+0.0%
1989	0.633	+0.0%
1990	0.682	+7.7%
1991	0.682	+0.0%
1992	0.682	+0.0%
1993	0.682	+0.0%
1994	0.682	+0.0%
1995	0.682	+0.0%
1996	0.682	+0.0%
1997	0.682	+0.0%
1998	0.612	-10.3%
1999	0.612	+0.0%
2000	0.621	+1.5%
2001	0.621	+0.0%
2002	0.621	+0.0%
2003	0.621	+0.0%
2004	0.621	+0.0%
2005	0.652	+5.0%
2006	0.652	+0.0%
2007	0.652	+0.0%
2008	0.652	+0.0%
2009	0.652	+0.0%
2010	0.649	-0.5%
2011	0.649	+0.0%
2012	0.649	+0.0%
2013	0.619	-4.6%
2014	0.458	-26.0%
2015	0.405	-11.6%
2016	0.354	-12.6%
2017	0.343	-3.1%
2018	0.336	-2.0%
2019	0.301	-10.4%
2020	0.283	-6.0%
2021	0.263	-7.1%
2022	0.251	-4.6%
2023	0.161	-35.9%
2024	0.147	-8.7%
2025	0.136	-7.5%

India compared with similar countries

India's 0.136 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.515, 26% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
India's 0.136 is below the median for South Asia, which is 0.537, 25% of the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.164	0.164	0.164	10
1910s	0.164	0.164	0.164	10
1920s	0.164	0.164	0.164	10
1930s	0.164	0.164	0.164	10
1940s	0.2488	0.158	0.639	10
1950s	0.652	0.652	0.652	10
1960s	0.648	0.644	0.652	10
1970s	0.5437	0.296	0.651	10
1980s	0.633	0.633	0.633	10
1990s	0.668	0.612	0.682	10
2000s	0.6365	0.621	0.652	10
2010s	0.4763	0.301	0.649	10
2020s	0.2068	0.136	0.283	6

Countries ranked near India

149 El Salvador 0.165 compare
150 Zimbabwe 0.157 compare
151 Burundi 0.144 compare
153 Chad 0.132 compare
154 Venezuela 0.129 compare
155 Laos 0.122 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for India

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 238,643 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in India?: Academic freedom index in India was 0.136 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in India?: The highest recorded value was 0.682 in 1990.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in India?: The lowest recorded value was 0.136 in 2025.
How does India rank for academic freedom index?: India ranks 152nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in India?: Over the last ten years it is down 66.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this India data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Academic Freedom Index in India. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/academic-freedom-index/india/

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About this data

Indicator: Academic Freedom Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.