Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) (school both) in Nepal
Nepal: Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) (school both) was 5.03 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Nepal, 2015–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Nepal stood at 5.03 million. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Nepal peaked at 5.55 million in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.03 million, in 2025.
Nepal ranks 45th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number) (school both) in Nepal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 5.55 million | — |
| 2016 | 5.46 million | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 5.38 million | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 5.31 million | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 5.26 million | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 5.25 million | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 5.22 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 5.19 million | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 5.14 million | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 5.10 million | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 5.03 million | -1.3% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 5.03 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.60 million, 1.9× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 5.03 million is above the median for South Asia, which is 5.03 million, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5.39 million | 5.26 million | 5.55 million | 5 |
| 2020s | 5.15 million | 5.03 million | 5.25 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More education data for Nepal
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 124,257 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 263,796 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 752,326 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 609,324 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.67 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.57 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1204 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Nepal?
- Population of compulsory school age, both sexes in Nepal was 5.03 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 5.55 million in 2015.
- What is the lowest population of compulsory school age, both sexes recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.03 million in 2025.
- How does Nepal rank for population of compulsory school age, both sexes?
- Nepal ranks 45th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population of compulsory school age, both sexes rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population of compulsory school age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release