14 August 2025
(Mains: Editorials Simplified)

FROM LIBERALISATION TO LIBERATION: INDIA’S NEXT LEAP

India, 79 years post-independence, stands at a critical juncture where economic, technological, and societal aspirations demand a shift from controlled liberalisation to genuine freedom of enterprise and thought. The emerging challenges – global economic volatility, social identity fissures, and technological disruptions – require a bold reimagining of governance and citizen participation in nation-building.

Core Concerns and Opportunities

• Economic and Structural Constraints

  • Excessive state control over key sectors limits innovation, entrepreneurship, and private sector investment.

  • Archaic regulatory frameworks and bureaucratic red tape act as barriers to large-scale infrastructure and technological development.

  • Underutilisation of India’s demographic dividend due to a rigid, examination-centric education system that undervalues creativity and critical thinking.

• Technological Edge at Risk

  • India holds a competitive advantage in IT and AI, but infrastructural gaps, particularly in power and data centre capacity, threaten to erode this lead.

  • Dependence on traditional power sources without diversification into small modular reactors or renewable hybrid systems may hinder long-term AI competitiveness.

• Socio-Cultural Dynamics

  • Persistent sectarian, caste, and regional divides risk fragmenting national focus.

  • The cultural heritage of India as a “civilisation of seekers” is under-utilised in shaping a modern, inclusive, and innovation-driven national identity.

Way Forward

• Economic and Regulatory Reforms

  • Streamline taxation and compliance frameworks to promote domestic entrepreneurship and attract foreign investment.

  • Encourage private participation in public infrastructure through innovative PPP models and reduced state monopoly.

  • Promote ease of doing business not just through procedural digitisation but through substantive policy simplification.

• Technology and Infrastructure Push

  • Prioritise investment in stable, decentralised power generation, including small modular nuclear reactors and renewable energy clusters.

  • Establish high-capacity data infrastructure to sustain India’s AI ecosystem and digital economy.

  • Foster R&D ecosystems through dedicated innovation zones with minimal bureaucratic interference.

• Education and Human Capital

  • Redesign curriculum to prioritise critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and problem-solving from school level.

  • Integrate vocational training with digital literacy to match the evolving job market.

  • Encourage autonomy for educational institutions while ensuring accountability through transparent quality benchmarks.

• Cultural and Social Cohesion

  • Promote civic nationalism that transcends belief systems, focusing on shared values of innovation, curiosity, and resilience.

  • Use cultural capital to inspire global soft power and domestic unity.

Conclusion

India’s journey from independence to liberalisation now demands a new phase – liberation from outdated regulations, structural bottlenecks, and intellectual constraints. The vision is not just economic growth, but the creation of a truly free, self-assured, and innovative nation capable of shaping its own destiny in a volatile global order.

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 SAFEGUARDING ACADEMIC FREEDOM

In a knowledge-based economy, higher education institutions are expected not only to impart skills but also to nurture independent thought, foster research innovation, and shape informed citizens. Erosion of academic freedom – the liberty to question, debate, and explore ideas without undue restriction – risks stifling creativity, undermining societal progress, and weakening democratic accountability.

Evolution and Relevance

• Historically, universities have served as spaces for dissent, intellectual exploration, and critical engagement with societal issues.

• Globally, academic freedom is enshrined as a principle in many democracies, though in practice it varies widely depending on political, economic, and cultural contexts.

• In India, university autonomy has long been challenged by excessive regulatory control, politicisation of curricula, and funding dependencies.

• The contemporary scenario is marked by heightened state intervention in both academic content and institutional functioning, raising concerns about the future of free inquiry.

Key Challenges

• Regulatory and Structural Constraints

  • • Centralised control over curriculum design, reading lists, and research priorities limits academic diversity.

    • Over-reliance on government funding leaves institutions vulnerable to political influence in administrative and academic decisions.

• Suppression of Dissent and Debate

  • • Restrictions on campus discussions, invitations to speakers, and public expression of critical views undermine the role of universities as forums for dialogue.

    • Disciplinary actions linked to social media activity or conference participation deter open engagement.

• Research Limitations

  • • Funding bias towards mainstream or ideologically aligned research curtails innovation in social sciences and humanities.

    • Lack of institutional support for long-term, fundamental research hampers the emergence of globally recognised scholarship.

• Governance Deficits

  • • University governance structures often lack transparency, representation, and accountability, making them prone to external interference.

    • The current “one-size-fits-all” regulatory approach ignores diversity in institutional needs and missions.

• Global Trends of Concern

  • • Even in established democracies such as the U.S., political pressures and funding cuts are emerging threats to academic freedom.

    • In authoritarian or one-party states, ideological conformity is often prioritised over independent scholarship.

Way Forward

• Reforming Regulatory Frameworks

  • • Replace prescriptive control with enabling regulations that grant full administrative, financial, and academic autonomy.

    • Decentralise curriculum design and research agenda setting to institutional and departmental levels.

• Diversifying Funding Sources

  • • Encourage public-private partnerships, alumni endowments, and competitive grant systems to reduce dependence on government allocations.

    • Introduce transparent, peer-reviewed funding mechanisms insulated from political influence.

• Strengthening Institutional Governance

  • • Create inclusive governance bodies with representation from faculty, students, alumni, and independent experts.

    • Institute periodic external reviews to ensure accountability without undermining autonomy.

• Fostering a Culture of Debate and Inquiry

  • • Establish policies protecting the right to invite diverse speakers, hold open discussions, and publish research without censorship.

    • Promote inter-university collaborations and knowledge exchanges to broaden perspectives.

• Learning from Global Best Practices

  • • Adopt models from countries that balance academic freedom with institutional accountability, such as independent accreditation bodies and competitive grant-based research ecosystems.

    • Encourage academic mobility and international research cooperation to enhance intellectual diversity.

Conclusion

Academic freedom is not a privilege but a foundational requirement for universities to fulfil their role as knowledge creators, innovators, and societal conscience-keepers. An enabling environment – marked by autonomy, diversity, accountability, and openness – will allow universities to thrive as engines of critical thinking and national progress.

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