Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in India
India: Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region was 134,967 children in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in India, 1990–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in children.
Analysis
India recorded 134,967 children for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.7% on the previous year and down 97.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in India peaked at 25.05 million children in 1990 and was at its lowest, 119,749 children, in 2024.
India ranks 50th of 196 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.
Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in India, year by year
| Year | children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 25.05 million children | — |
| 2000 | 13.92 million children | -44.4% |
| 2001 | 16.12 million children | +15.8% |
| 2002 | 16.54 million children | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 10.66 million children | -35.6% |
| 2007 | 1.08 million children | -89.8% |
| 2008 | 513,722 children | -52.6% |
| 2009 | 2.23 million children | +333.3% |
| 2010 | 1.40 million children | -37.2% |
| 2011 | 3.42 million children | +144.5% |
| 2012 | 864,367 children | -74.7% |
| 2013 | 532,655 children | -38.4% |
| 2016 | 5.01 million children | +840.6% |
| 2017 | 7.33 million children | +46.3% |
| 2018 | 7.72 million children | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 8.89 million children | +15.2% |
| 2020 | 4.87 million children | -45.2% |
| 2021 | 2.76 million children | -43.4% |
| 2022 | 180,672 children | -93.4% |
| 2023 | 1.72 million children | +853.4% |
| 2024 | 119,749 children | -93.0% |
| 2025 | 134,967 children | +12.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 134,967 children is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 79,507 children, 1.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 134,967 children is above the median for South Asia, which is 78,056 children, 1.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +853.4% | 180,672 children | 1.72 million children |
| 2016 | +840.6% | 532,655 children | 5.01 million children |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.05 million children | 25.05 million children | 25.05 million children | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.72 million children | 513,722 children | 16.54 million children | 7 |
| 2010s | 4.40 million children | 532,655 children | 8.89 million children | 8 |
| 2020s | 1.63 million children | 119,749 children | 4.87 million children | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 47 Zambia 136,539 children compare
- 48 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 136,027 children compare
- 49 Madagascar 135,621 children compare
- 51 Equatorial Guinea 128,846 children compare
- 52 Kazakhstan 128,155 children compare
- 53 Canada 127,666 children 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 primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in India?
- Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region in India was 134,967 children in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 25.05 million children in 1990.
- What is the lowest primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 119,749 children in 2024.
- How does India rank for primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region?
- India ranks 50th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 97.3%. 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 (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary-school-age children who are out of school by world region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Children in the official primary school age range who are not enrolled in either primary or secondary education.