Literacy rate, adult male in India
India: Literacy rate, adult male was 85.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rate, adult male in India, 1981–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of males ages 15 and above.
Analysis
The most recent figure for literacy rate, adult male in India is 85.7%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rate, adult male in India peaked at 88.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 54.8%, in 1981.
India ranks 57th of 88 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Literacy rate, adult male in India, year by year
| Year | % of males ages 15 and above | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 54.8% | — |
| 1991 | 61.6% | +12.4% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | +19.1% |
| 2006 | 75.2% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 78.6% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 78.9% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 79.4% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 82.0% | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 82.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 83.3% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 83.9% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 83.5% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 88.3% | +5.8% |
| 2024 | 85.7% | -3.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 85.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 83.7%, 1.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- India's 85.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 85.7%, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 54.8% | 54.8% | 54.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 61.6% | 61.6% | 61.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 74.3% | 73.4% | 75.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 80.3% | 78.6% | 82.8% | 5 |
| 2020s | 84.9% | 83.3% | 88.3% | 5 |
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 literacy rate, adult male in India?
- Literacy rate, adult male in India was 85.7% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest literacy rate, adult male recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 88.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rate, adult male recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.8% in 1981.
- How does India rank for literacy rate, adult male?
- India ranks 57th out of 88 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rate, adult male rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. 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 Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.