Indian academia’s drift from reason to ritual

At their core, educational institutions are intended to be ‘temples of empiricism’. Their entire legitimacy rests on a single, unforgiving premise: that truth is discovered through observation, experimentation, and peer-reviewed verification, not through revelation, tradition, or charismatic authority. The scientific method thrives on questioning, falsifiability, and rigorous doubt — virtues that stand in direct opposition to belief, spiritualism, and uncritical reverence. This is not a mere aesthetic choice or a harmless nod to cultural heritage; it is a profound philosophical contradiction. This raises a disquieting question: when an academic institute prioritises spiritual performance and political deference over intellectual rigour, does it erode the very foundation of its own mission?