India vs Middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes

India
252.86 million number
in 2018
Middle income
587.08 million number
in 2019
India rank
1st
Middle income rank
4th

Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes over time

  • India
  • Middle income
200.0M400.0M600.0M800.0M197519972019

How they compare

Middle income currently reports 587.08 million number against 252.86 million number in India, a difference of 334.21 million number.

That makes Middle income's figure about 2.3 times India's.

Across all 6 years both countries report, Middle income has been ahead every year.

India ranks 1st and Middle income ranks 4th of 87 countries.

Middle income has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade India Middle income Difference Ahead
1980s 257.60 million number 764.88 million number 507.27 million number Middle income
1990s 287.52 million number 759.27 million number 471.75 million number Middle income
2000s 281.64 million number 657.46 million number 375.81 million number Middle income
2010s 259.52 million number 610.72 million number 351.20 million number Middle income

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes, India or Middle income?
Middle income, at 587.08 million number against 252.86 million number in India as of 2019.
What is the difference in adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes between India and Middle income?
334.21 million number, with Middle income ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for India and Middle income?
6 years are reported by both, from 1981 to 2018.
How do India and Middle income rank globally for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
India ranks 1st and Middle income ranks 4th of 87 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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India vs Middle income: Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/adult-illiterate-population-15-years-both-sexes-number/india/middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
126 places, 2,267 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of adults over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.