Government expenditure on education, total in India

India: Government expenditure on education, total was 4.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
4.1%
Change on year
down 11.5%
World rank
100th
of 196 countries
All-time high
4.6%
in 2021
All-time low
3.1%
in 2006
Years of data
22
1997–2022

Government expenditure on education, total in India, 1997–2022

0123451997200920221997: 3.4 % of GDP1998: 3.6 % of GDP1999: 4.4 % of GDP2000: 4.3 % of GDP2003: 3.6 % of GDP2004: 3.4 % of GDP2005: 3.2 % of GDP2006: 3.1 % of GDP2009: 3.3 % of GDP2010: 3.4 % of GDP2011: 3.8 % of GDP2012: 3.9 % of GDP2013: 3.8 % of GDP2014: 3.9 % of GDP2015: 4.1 % of GDP2016: 4.3 % of GDP2017: 4.3 % of GDP2018: 4.4 % of GDP2019: 3.9 % of GDP2020: 4.3 % of GDP2021: 4.6 % of GDP2022: 4.1 % of GDP

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for government expenditure on education, total in India is 4.1%, measured in 2022.

The figure is down 11.5% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in India peaked at 4.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2006.

India ranks 100th of 196 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.

Government expenditure on education, total in India, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in India, 1997 to 2022.
Year % of GDP Change
1997 3.4%
1998 3.6% +6.3%
1999 4.4% +23.6%
2000 4.3% -2.1%
2003 3.6% -16.4%
2004 3.4% -7.2%
2005 3.2% -4.9%
2006 3.1% -1.4%
2009 3.3% +4.3%
2010 3.4% +3.0%
2011 3.8% +12.4%
2012 3.9% +1.9%
2013 3.8% -0.6%
2014 3.9% +1.4%
2015 4.1% +5.5%
2016 4.3% +3.4%
2017 4.3% +1.2%
2018 4.4% +1.4%
2019 3.9% -10.7%
2020 4.3% +10.2%
2021 4.6% +7.8%
2022 4.1% -11.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.8% 3.4% 4.4% 3
2000s 3.5% 3.1% 4.3% 6
2010s 4.0% 3.4% 4.4% 10
2020s 4.3% 4.1% 4.6% 3

Countries ranked near India

  1. 97 Mali 4.2% compare
  2. 98 Russian Federation 4.2% compare
  3. 99 Togo 4.1% compare
  4. 101 Croatia 4.1% compare
  5. 102 Niger 4.1% compare
  6. 103 Zambia 4.1% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in India?
Government expenditure on education, total in India was 4.1% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2021.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2006.
How does India rank for government expenditure on education, total?
India ranks 100th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on education, total in India. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 6,340 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.