Literacy rates among adults in India
India: Literacy rates among adults was 78.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Literacy rates among adults in India, 1981–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, literacy rates among adults in India stood at 78.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, literacy rates among adults in India peaked at 81.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 40.8%, in 1981.
India ranks 62nd of 89 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 rates among adults in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 40.8% | — |
| 1991 | 48.2% | +18.3% |
| 2001 | 61.0% | +26.5% |
| 2006 | 62.8% | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 68.3% | +8.9% |
| 2011 | 69.3% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 69.8% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 73.7% | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 74.9% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 75.5% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 76.1% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 81.7% | +7.0% |
| 2024 | 78.2% | -4.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 78.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.2%, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- India's 78.2% is below the median for South Asia, which is 79.0%, 99% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Literacy rates among adults 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +26.5% | 48.2% | 61.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.8% | 40.8% | 40.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 48.2% | 48.2% | 48.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 61.9% | 61.0% | 62.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 71.2% | 68.3% | 74.9% | 5 |
| 2020s | 77.6% | 75.5% | 81.7% | 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 rates among adults in India?
- Literacy rates among adults in India was 78.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest literacy rates among adults recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 81.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest literacy rates among adults recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.8% in 1981.
- How does India rank for literacy rates among adults?
- India ranks 62nd out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is literacy rates among adults rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. 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 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Literacy rates among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population aged 15 years and older who can read and write.