Sweet Dreams of Luring Scholars While Driving Our Own Away
Apoorvanand | 26 October 2025 | The Wire
After Donald Trump’s assault on institutions of higher education in the United States, a curious excitement can be noticed in certain circles in India. Those who live by the maxim that another’s calamity is their opportunity have begun to imagine that the distinguished teachers and researchers resigning from or being forced out of the American universities because of Donald Trump’s campaign of “Americanisation” can now be lured to India, especially those of Indian origin.
It has been reported that Harvard University has made substantial cuts in PhD admissions across several disciplines. Harvard claims that it faces a shortage of funds and is therefore compelled to economise on its research programmes. But critics insist that the crisis is not of funds but of vision. It is now evident that, because of Trump’s narrow and nationalist policies, independent research has become increasingly impossible…