Open AccessComparative Analysis of Academic Freedom within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in India and the USA
Author(s) -
Ruchi Saini
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
comparative and international higher education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2151-0407
pISSN - 2151-0393
DOI - 10.32674/jcihe.v12i6s1.3078
Subject(s) - academic freedom , dissent , government (linguistics) , higher education , section (typography) , freedom of information , political science , order (exchange) , freedom of expression , safeguard , code (set theory) , public administration , law , human rights , business , computer science , linguistics , philosophy , set (abstract data type) , finance , politics , advertising , programming language
Despite having one of the largest and fastest-growing post-secondary sectors in the world, there has been increasing protest against the lack of academic freedom within HEIs in India in the past decade. This research study carries out a comparative analysis of academic freedom within HEIs in India and the U.S., with a specific focus on how the notion is formulated within key policy documents and the provisions to safeguard it. Preliminary data from the systematic review revealed that while policy documents within both the countries frame the notion along similar lines, various sections within the Indian Penal Code are used to criminalize useful dissent and freedom of expression within HEIs. The study recommends that in order to safeguard academic freedom in India, certain specific sections within the Indian Penal Code (Section 124A, Section-153A, Section-292, Section-295A) should be either repealed or reformulated so that they are not amenable to misuse by the government.