On February 3, 2026, St. Thomas College disinvited journalist and scholar Vinod K. Jose from a previously approved college event, reportedly for being a “controversial figure.”

Jose was scheduled to speak on the “State of Indian Democracy” as part of the college’s annual T.C. Thomas Endowment Lecture on February 5, 2026. Jose had received the invitation two months prior from the Department of Political Science, which asked him to choose a topic. After Jose suggested two options—the global decline of democracy and the state of Indian democracy—the department selected the latter. On February 3, 2026, one of the event’s co-speakers informed Jose that the college had decided to disinvite him because management and the principal identified him as a “controversial figure.” Jose is well known for engaging in journalism that is critical of the government and faces sedition cases for his journalism.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the last-minute disinvitation of a scholar from a planned event, apparently in response to the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression. Higher education leaders should respect academic freedom by refraining from restrictions on academic activity. Attempts to limit academic discussion and exchange undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://scroll.in/latest/1090484/journalist-vinod-jose-disinvited-from-delivering-speech-on-democracy-at-kerala-college
https://thewire.in/education/keralas-st-thomas-college-cancels-lecture-caravan-editor-vinod-k-jose
https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/people/vinod-k-jose
https://www.newstatesman.com/world/2021/03/i-wish-there-was-competition-executive-editor-caravan-india-s-troubled-media-0