Academic Freedom Index in Pakistan
Pakistan: Academic Freedom Index was 0.268 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Academic Freedom Index in Pakistan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 0.268 for academic freedom index in 2025.
That represents a change of down 22.1% on the previous year and down 52.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Pakistan peaked at 0.677 in 1947 and was at its lowest, 0.158, in 1941.
Pakistan ranks 130th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
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 | 0.3167 | 0.158 | 0.677 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.6269 | 0.504 | 0.677 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.4878 | 0.475 | 0.499 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.5061 | 0.34 | 0.575 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3526 | 0.312 | 0.636 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.636 | 0.636 | 0.636 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6494 | 0.643 | 0.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5803 | 0.542 | 0.617 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4528 | 0.268 | 0.563 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More social development data for Pakistan
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 1.16 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 90,497 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.302 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.559 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.495 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.302 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.192 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.176 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is academic freedom index in Pakistan?
- Academic freedom index in Pakistan was 0.268 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.677 in 1947.
- What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.158 in 1941.
- How does Pakistan rank for academic freedom index?
- Pakistan ranks 130th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.