Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in India
India: Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population was 59.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in India, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
India recorded 59.0% for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.6% on the previous year and up 60.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in India peaked at 59.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1971.
That places India 85th out of 97 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 8.3% | — |
| 2011 | 36.6% | +340.5% |
| 2016 | 43.3% | +18.2% |
| 2018 | 48.0% | +10.8% |
| 2019 | 49.7% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 49.8% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 54.3% | +9.1% |
| 2023 | 59.0% | +8.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 44.4% | 36.6% | 49.7% | 4 |
| 2020s | 54.3% | 49.8% | 59.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 60.33 million (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -8.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0412 units per person (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 65.78 million (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -9.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0449 units per person (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133.16 million (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.19 million (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.38 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in India?
- Educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population in India was 59.0% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 59.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1971.
- How does India rank for educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population?
- India ranks 85th out of 97 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment: at least some primary (isced 1), population rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment: at least some primary (ISCED 1), population 25+ years, rural, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release