Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female (%) in India
India: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female (%) was 35.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in India, 1971–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
India recorded 35.7% for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in 2025. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in India peaked at 35.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1971.
India ranks 113th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female (%) in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.2% | — |
| 1973 | 2.2% | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1977 | 2.5% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 2.6% | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 2.7% | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 2.9% | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 2.9% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | +12.2% |
| 1984 | 3.4% | +5.6% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 3.7% | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 3.9% | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | -7.7% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 4.1% | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 3.9% | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 4.7% | +18.6% |
| 1997 | 4.9% | +5.2% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +60.1% |
| 2001 | 8.1% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | +6.5% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 9.1% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 10.0% | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 11.1% | +11.9% |
| 2009 | 13.7% | +22.7% |
| 2010 | 15.6% | +14.1% |
| 2011 | 20.8% | +33.1% |
| 2012 | 23.0% | +10.8% |
| 2013 | 23.3% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 25.5% | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 26.9% | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 27.1% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 28.1% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 29.1% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 30.3% | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 31.3% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 32.4% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 33.3% | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 35.2% | +6.0% |
| 2024 | 35.4% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 35.7% | +0.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 35.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 15.0%, 2.4× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- India's 35.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 25.0%, 1.4× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female (%) in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +60.1% | 4.9% | 7.8% |
| 2011 | +33.1% | 15.6% | 20.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 6 |
| 1980s | 3.4% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.3% | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5 |
| 2000s | 9.6% | 7.8% | 13.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 25.0% | 15.6% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.9% | 31.3% | 35.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 110 Guyana 37.4% compare
- 111 Liechtenstein 36.3% compare
- 112 British Virgin Islands 36.2% compare
- 114 Nicaragua 35.7% compare
- 115 Tajikistan 34.7% compare
- 116 Jamaica 33.4% compare
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 gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in India?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in India was 35.7% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 35.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1971.
- How does India rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female?
- India ranks 113th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release