Duration of compulsory education in India
India: Duration of compulsory education was 8 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
8
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
161st
of 205 countries
All-time high
8
in 2009
All-time low
8
in 2009
Years of data
17
2009–2025
Duration of compulsory education in India, 2009–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for duration of compulsory education in India is 8, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of compulsory education in India peaked at 8 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 8, in 2009.
India ranks 161st of 205 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Duration of compulsory education in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 8 | — |
| 2010 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 8 | +0.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 8 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9, 89% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- India's 8 is below the median for South Asia, which is 9, 89% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.38 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.88 (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of compulsory education in India?
- Duration of compulsory education in India was 8 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest duration of compulsory education recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2009.
- What is the lowest duration of compulsory education recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 8 in 2009.
- How does India rank for duration of compulsory education?
- India ranks 161st out of 205 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of compulsory education rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Duration of compulsory education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).