Challenges Facing India's Scientific and Academic Institutions
In 2026, India's scientific and academic sectors are facing significant challenges characterized by declining academic freedom, high rates of research paper retractions, stagnant funding, and persistent social exclusion. While the country possesses a vast pool of knowledge workers with the potential for high-level innovation, systemic issues continue to hinder progress across educational and research institutions.
A major indicator of the current state of Indian science is the high volume of retracted research papers. India ranks among the top three countries globally for paper retractions. In 2025, six of the ten universities worldwide with the highest number of paper retractions were located in India. Additionally, despite global discussions on artificial intelligence featuring numerous Indian names, there are currently no prominent Indian-developed AI models in these conversations.
Decline in Academic Freedom and Government Interference
Academic freedom in India has seen a sharp decline over the past decade. According to the Academic Freedom Index by the Scholars at Risk network, India’s score fell from 0.6 in 2013 to 0.2 in 2023, reaching its lowest level since the mid-1940s. By 2025, the score declined further to 0.16, placing India 156th out of 179 countries. Critics argue these restrictions limit the free flow of knowledge and inhibit constitutional rights to free speech, expression, peaceable assembly, and association.
Aniket Sule from the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE-TIFR) in Mumbai has highlighted instances of government intervention in autonomous institutions. For example, during the 2025 International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics hosted in India, Israel was barred from participating. In another instance, scientists across the country jointly criticized a mandatory student conference at IIT Mandi that featured sessions on the afterlife, reincarnation, and astrology. In both cases, government ministers reportedly sought explanations from institution directors regarding the individuals behind these campaigns.
Sule noted that such interventions have created a climate of fear, stating that while a vast majority of the scientific community does not align with the government's ideology, many are hesitant to speak out due to concerns over job security, promotions, or future directorships.
Rise of Pseudoscience and Stagnant Funding
The scientific community has also raised concerns over the promotion of pseudoscientific ideas and projects. Examples include the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) removing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution from Class 10 textbooks in 2023, and public pronouncements such as a retired High Court judge's claim regarding how peahens conceive. Furthermore, the establishment of Centres for Indian Knowledge Systems within Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has been criticized by historians of science, such as Meera Nanda, who argue these initiatives serve to advance Hindutva philosophy rather than equip students with necessary scientific tools.
These developments occur alongside long-term stagnation in research and development (R&D) investment. India's R&D spending has remained at approximately 0.6% to 0.7% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the past two decades. This stands in contrast to innovation-led economies, which typically invest between 2.5% and 5% of their GDP into research and development.
Caste-Based Disparities and Institutional Exclusion
Social exclusion and caste-based disparities remain deeply entrenched in India's premier scientific institutions. At the top five IITs and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), 98% of professors belong to privileged castes. The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), which is exempt from constitutional reservation mandates for marginalized castes, shows similar patterns.
Underrepresentation is evident across various levels of study. Adivasi students make up less than 5% of undergraduate STEM classes nationwide. At the PhD level, Dalit representation across the top IITs averages 10%, while Adivasi representation stands at 2%, falling short of the federally mandated quotas of 15% and 7.5%, respectively.
This lack of representation is accompanied by reports of harassment. The suicides of students Rohith Vemula in 2016 and Payal Tadvi in 2019 highlighted institutional apathy toward caste-based discrimination. University Grants Commission (UGC) data indicates that discrimination complaints rose by 118% over a five-year period. However, efforts by the UGC to implement equity regulations have faced pushback.
Integrating Humanities and Addressing Structural Reforms
The appointment of institutional leadership has also faced criticism. Under the current administration, the selection of directors and vice-chancellors for the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) labs, IITs, IISc, and the Indian Institutes of Science Education Research (IISER) has been described as politically influenced. Critics point to statements such as those by Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, who characterized caste discrimination as a "manufactured reality," as evidence of leadership failing to address systemic exclusion. Consequently, thousands of reserved faculty positions remain vacant across the country.
To address these systemic issues, educational experts advocate for breaking down the silos between the humanities and sciences. Vetti Giri, a science education faculty member at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru, emphasizes that exposing students to the social and political aspects of knowledge-making helps build critical thinking. This approach is mirrored in other nations, such as China, where institutions like ShanghaiTech’s Institute of Humanities emphasize the integration of humanities to understand the ethical and societal implications of rapid scientific and technological advancements like AI.
Ultimately, critics argue that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has led to increased centralization and privatization, concentrating decision-making away from public scrutiny. Without transparency and accountability in funding, hiring, and operations, efforts to reform the Indian scientific and educational systems risk falling short of their objectives.
