Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India
India: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 14.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India, 1997–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
In 2022, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India stood at 14.2%.
That represents a change of down 5.2% on the previous year and up 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India peaked at 17.0% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 2009.
India ranks 75th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 13.3% | — |
| 1998 | 14.2% | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 17.0% | +19.8% |
| 2000 | 16.7% | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 12.4% | -25.8% |
| 2004 | 11.2% | -9.8% |
| 2005 | 11.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 11.7% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 11.2% | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 11.8% | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 13.6% | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 14.0% | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 14.1% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 15.7% | +11.9% |
| 2015 | 15.7% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 15.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 15.8% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 16.6% | +5.2% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | -10.9% |
| 2020 | 16.0% | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 14.9% | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 14.2% | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.8% | 13.3% | 17.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 12.4% | 11.2% | 16.7% | 6 |
| 2010s | 14.8% | 11.8% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.0% | 14.2% | 16.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
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 expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in India was 14.2% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 17.0% in 1999.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 2009.
- How does India rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- India ranks 75th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.2%. 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 Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release