Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in India
India: Literacy rates vs average years of schooling was 81.7 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in India, 1901–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
India recorded 81.7 for literacy rates vs average years of schooling in 2023. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.0% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates vs average years of schooling in India peaked at 81.7 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.2, in 1901.
India ranks 88th of 128 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 1 |
| 1910s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 1920s | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 1 |
| 1930s | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 1 |
| 1950s | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 1 |
| 1980s | 40.76 | 40.76 | 40.76 | 1 |
| 1990s | 48.22 | 48.22 | 48.22 | 1 |
| 2000s | 61.88 | 61.01 | 62.75 | 2 |
| 2010s | 71.21 | 68.33 | 74.89 | 5 |
| 2020s | 77.4 | 75.53 | 81.7 | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.2% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 11 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.4% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 111.0% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers 5.19 million (2025)
- Fertility rate vs mean years of schooling 1.96 (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 110.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is literacy rates vs average years of schooling in India?
- Literacy rates vs average years of schooling in India was 81.7 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 81.7 in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rates vs average years of schooling recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2 in 1901.
- How does India rank for literacy rates vs average years of schooling?
- India ranks 88th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
- Is literacy rates vs average years of schooling rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates vs average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 18 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).