Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India
India: Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years was 8.48 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2023, mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India stood at 8.48. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.9% on the previous year and up 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India peaked at 8.48 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.97, in 1971.
India ranks 96th of 121 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.97 | — |
| 1981 | 3.2 | +62.5% |
| 2011 | 6.5 | +103.2% |
| 2016 | 7.16 | +10.2% |
| 2018 | 7.38 | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 7.6 | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 7.59 | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 7.58 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 8.48 | +11.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.97 | 1.97 | 1.97 | 1 |
| 1980s | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 1 |
| 2010s | 7.16 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 4 |
| 2020s | 7.88 | 7.58 | 8.48 | 3 |
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 mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India?
- Mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in India was 8.48 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 8.48 in 2023.
- What is the lowest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.97 in 1971.
- How does India rank for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years?
- India ranks 96th out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.4%. 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, published as part of Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years, male. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release