Educational attainment rate, completed primary … primary female in India
India: Educational attainment rate, completed primary … primary female was 59.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in India, 1994–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in India is 59.1%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.5% on the previous year and up 43.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in India peaked at 59.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 22.2%, in 1994.
That places India 113th out of 136 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Educational attainment rate, completed primary … primary female in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 22.2% | — |
| 2000 | 27.1% | +22.1% |
| 2005 | 32.2% | +18.7% |
| 2010 | 39.3% | +22.2% |
| 2011 | 40.3% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 41.1% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 45.1% | +9.9% |
| 2018 | 49.3% | +9.3% |
| 2019 | 50.1% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 51.8% | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 53.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 59.1% | +9.5% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 59.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 62.0%, 95% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.2% | 22.2% | 22.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 29.7% | 27.1% | 32.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 44.2% | 39.3% | 50.1% | 6 |
| 2020s | 54.6% | 51.8% | 59.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 110 Nigeria 62.0% compare
- 111 El Salvador 61.3% compare
- 112 Ghana 61.0% compare
- 114 Algeria 57.5% compare
- 115 Democratic Republic of Congo 53.8% compare
- 116 Bangladesh 52.0% compare
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 educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in India?
- Educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher in India was 59.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 59.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.2% in 1994.
- How does India rank for educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher?
- India ranks 113th out of 136 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed primary education or higher rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.8%. 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 rate, completed primary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release