Which has higher secondary education, general pupils, China or India?

India, at 127.53 million against 68.39 million in China as of 2017.

What is the difference in secondary education, general pupils between China and India?

59.13 million, with India ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?

37 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2017.

Where does this data come from?

Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Secondary education, general pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

China vs India: Secondary education, general pupils

China

68.39 million

in 2018

India

127.53 million

in 2017

China rank

2nd

India rank

1st

Secondary education, general pupils over time

China
India

How they compare

India currently reports 127.53 million against 68.39 million in China, a difference of 59.13 million.

That makes India's figure about 1.9 times China's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 37 shared years of data; in 1971 it was China ahead.

China ranks 2nd and India ranks 1st of 204 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and India in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	India	Difference	Ahead
1970s	45.79 million	24.49 million	21.30 million	China
1980s	49.06 million	39.54 million	9.52 million	China
1990s	50.99 million	61.30 million	10.30 million	India
2000s	81.30 million	87.56 million	6.25 million	India
2010s	69.20 million	126.29 million	57.09 million	India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher secondary education, general pupils, China or India?: India, at 127.53 million against 68.39 million in China as of 2017.
What is the difference in secondary education, general pupils between China and India?: 59.13 million, with India ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?: 37 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2017.
How do China and India rank globally for secondary education, general pupils?: China ranks 2nd and India ranks 1st of 204 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Secondary education, general pupils. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs India: Secondary education, general pupils. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/secondary-education-general-pupils/china/india/

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About this data

Indicator: Secondary education, general pupils
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 247 places, 9,345 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed: 17 September 2026

Secondary general pupils are the number of secondary students enrolled in general education programs, including teacher training.