Children out of school, primary in India
India: Children out of school, primary was 134,967 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Children out of school, primary in India, 1971–2025
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for children out of school, primary in India is 134,967, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.7% on the previous year and down 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children out of school, primary in India peaked at 28.44 million in 1971 and was at its lowest, 119,749, in 2024.
That places India 51st out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Children out of school, primary in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 28.44 million | — |
| 1990 | 25.05 million | -11.9% |
| 2000 | 13.92 million | -44.4% |
| 2001 | 16.12 million | +15.8% |
| 2002 | 16.54 million | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 10.66 million | -35.6% |
| 2007 | 1.08 million | -89.8% |
| 2008 | 513,722 | -52.6% |
| 2009 | 2.23 million | +333.3% |
| 2010 | 1.40 million | -37.2% |
| 2011 | 3.42 million | +144.5% |
| 2012 | 864,367 | -74.7% |
| 2013 | 532,655 | -38.4% |
| 2016 | 5.01 million | +840.6% |
| 2017 | 7.33 million | +46.3% |
| 2018 | 7.72 million | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 8.89 million | +15.2% |
| 2020 | 4.87 million | -45.2% |
| 2021 | 2.76 million | -43.4% |
| 2022 | 180,672 | -93.4% |
| 2023 | 1.72 million | +853.4% |
| 2024 | 119,749 | -93.0% |
| 2025 | 134,967 | +12.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 134,967 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 76,741, 1.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- India's 134,967 is above the median for South Asia, which is 78,056, 1.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Children out of school, primary in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +853.4% | 180,672 | 1.72 million |
| 2016 | +840.6% | 532,655 | 5.01 million |
| 2009 | +333.3% | 513,722 | 2.23 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.44 million | 28.44 million | 28.44 million | 1 |
| 1990s | 25.05 million | 25.05 million | 25.05 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.72 million | 513,722 | 16.54 million | 7 |
| 2010s | 4.40 million | 532,655 | 8.89 million | 8 |
| 2020s | 1.63 million | 119,749 | 4.87 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 48 Zambia 136,539 compare
- 49 Bolivia 136,027 compare
- 50 Madagascar 135,621 compare
- 52 Equatorial Guinea 128,846 compare
- 53 Kazakhstan 128,155 compare
- 54 Canada 127,666 compare
More education data for India
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.31 million (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 3.10 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 19.37 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 18.52 million (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 133.16 million (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 126.12 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -8.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0862 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children out of school, primary in India?
- Children out of school, primary in India was 134,967 in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest children out of school, primary recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 28.44 million in 1971.
- What is the lowest children out of school, primary recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 119,749 in 2024.
- How does India rank for children out of school, primary?
- India ranks 51st out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is children out of school, primary rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 97.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school, primary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.