In Focus by The Hindu Explained: Why is India’s NHRC accreditation being downgraded from ‘A’ to ‘B’
Dec 22, 2025
Henri Tiphagne, a human rights advocate and Working Secretary with AINNI, discusses the downgrade of India's National Human Rights Commission from 'A' to 'B' status. He outlines the timeline of events leading to this decision and compares India's situation with that of Pakistan, which still holds 'A' status. Henri highlights the six main concerns that led to the downgrade and argues that superficial reforms won’t suffice. He emphasizes the need for structural changes and a collaborative approach with civil society to regain 'A' accreditation.
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Downgrade Stemmed From Years Of Inaction
- Repeated deferrals signalled systemic non-compliance rather than one-off lapses.
- The GANHRI review upheld the downgrade after India failed to implement past recommendations.
Paris Principles Define NHRC Standards
- The Paris Principles set standards for independence, pluralism, accessibility and cooperation.
- GANHRI evaluates NHRIs against these principles to decide accreditation status.
Six Recurring Deficiencies Identified
- GANHRI highlighted six recurring concerns including investigations, appointments, pluralism and civil-society engagement.
- These concerns have been raised repeatedly since 2011 with little corrective action.