Dhanada K Mishra, Hong Kong, 9 June 2025
“आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः”
(Atharva Veda 5.30.13)
“Let noble thoughts come to us from every side.”
This ancient invocation from the Atharva Veda embodies a timeless ideal – the free flow of diverse and noble ideas. Mahatma Gandhi invoked this sloka to promote a liberal mindset rooted in openness, dialogue, and respect for pluralism. Yet today, education – once a sanctuary for such ideals – is under increasing pressure worldwide. Political forces seek to control narratives, silence dissent, and impose ideological conformity, threatening the very essence of learning and democracy.
Megha Vemuri and the MIT Graduation Controversy
In May 2025, Megha Vemuri, an Indian-American student and elected class president at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), became the centre of a national controversy after delivering an unsanctioned speech at the OneMIT commencement ceremony in Cambridge.
Wearing a red keffiyeh – a symbol of Palestinian solidarity – Megha criticised MIT’s research ties with the Israeli military and accused the university of complicity in what she described as the “genocide” of the Palestinian people. Her speech, which was not pre-approved by the university, called on her fellow graduates to recognise their responsibility in addressing injustice and urged MIT to sever its ties with Israel’s military.
Her remarks were met with enthusiastic applause from many students, some waving Palestinian flags, but also sparked immediate backlash from university officials and political figures. MIT barred Megha from attending the formal graduation ceremony and prohibited her and her family from entering the venue. The university stated that while it supports free expression, Megha’s speech was a deliberate disruption of a significant institutional event and differed substantially from the version she had submitted for approval.
Megha expressed no regret for her speech, stating, “I see no need for me to walk across the stage of an institution that is complicit in this genocide.” She also criticised MIT for punishing her without due process and highlighted the hypocrisy in the university’s professed commitment to free speech.
This incident unfolded amid a broader wave of pro-Palestinian activism on U.S. campuses, where students at institutions including Harvard, Columbia, and New York University have staged protests and faced disciplinary actions. The controversy reflects the tensions universities face in balancing free expression with institutional order, especially on politically charged issues.
Academic Freedom and Curriculum Debates in India
In India, the challenges to education take a different shape. The government has pursued reforms in school and university curricula that emphasise Hindu cultural and historical narratives, a process often described as “saffronisation.” This has sparked intense debate and concern about the erosion of pluralism and critical inquiry.
Academic freedom in India has been tested through high-profile cases involving scholars and activists who have faced legal challenges or intimidation for dissenting views. For example, protests and arrests related to freedom of expression at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and resignations of prominent intellectuals like Pratap Bhanu Mehta from Ashoka University highlight the pressures on critical scholarship. The case of Umer Khalid, who continues to languish in jail for many years now, unjustly targeted under the draconian provisions of sedition law, is a matter of grave concern to many. Most recently, the case of Prof Ali Khan Muhamudabadi, who was arrested following a social media critique of Operation Sindoor, put the issue national limelight. The fact that Ashoka University, the preeminent liberal arts university of the country, would not defend the professor’s right to free speech was of great concern to discerning academics and intellectuals.
These developments reflect a complex and contested landscape where efforts to revise curricula intersect with broader political and social currents.
The U.S. Context: Funding, Free Speech, and Campus Tensions
In the United States, concerns about higher education have focused on proposed federal funding changes and campus free speech controversies. While the Trump administration proposed linking federal grants to free speech compliance and suggested budget cuts to institutions like Harvard, Columbia and Michigan, among others, the same has been met with legal challenge.
Campus debates have involved allegations of both antisemitism and anti-Palestinian bias, with universities navigating difficult terrain. Congressional hearings have examined antisemitism on campuses, while student groups advocating for Palestinian rights have faced suspensions and disciplinary actions, as seen at Columbia University. These tensions underscore the challenges universities face in maintaining open discourse while addressing community concerns.
Resistance and Resilience: Defending Education’s Promise
Despite these pressures, students, faculty, and institutions continue to defend academic freedom and pluralism. Legal challenges, advocacy by organisations like the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), and campus activism highlight ongoing efforts to preserve education as a space for diverse ideas and critical thought. At MIT, while Megha Vemuri was barred from the ceremony, she will receive her degree, and her speech has sparked important conversations about institutional complicity and student activism. At Michigan, the university defended legally the right of eight students whose visas were cancelled. During the legal proceedings, the university took care of the students paying for their travel back home and return on successful restoration of their visas.
In India, debates over curriculum reform and academic freedom continue, with voices from civil society and academia pushing back against attempts to narrow intellectual horizons.
The Global Stakes: Why Education Matters
The assault on education threatens not only individual freedoms but also the global capacity to address existential challenges. Universities have been engines of innovation and social progress – from medical breakthroughs to climate science – and nurturing critical thinking and pluralism is essential to sustaining this role. In both the U.S. and India, education systems face pressures that risk deepening social divides and undermining democratic values. Protecting academic freedom and fostering open inquiry are vital to ensuring that education remains a force for equality, justice, and human survival.
Upholding the Spirit of Open Inquiry
From Cambridge to Delhi, the pressures on education are a call to vigilance. As Gandhi eloquently stated, “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.” This balance of openness and rootedness must guide our defence of education today.
Governments and institutions must resist politicising knowledge and instead nurture spaces where diverse, even uncomfortable, ideas can flourish. In a world facing rising seas, geopolitical instability, and urgent social challenges, education is not a luxury – it is humanity’s most vital resource. Protecting it safeguards our collective future.
