Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India
India: Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women was 56.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India, 1971–2021
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
The most recent figure for modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India is 56.4%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India peaked at 56.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 1971.
India ranks 36th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 9.5% | — |
| 1981 | 28.1% | +195.8% |
| 1988 | 39.9% | +42.0% |
| 1993 | 36.5% | -8.5% |
| 1999 | 42.8% | +17.3% |
| 2000 | 42.3% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 45.7% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 48.5% | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 48.2% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 47.8% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 56.4% | +18.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 34.0% | 28.1% | 39.9% | 2 |
| 1990s | 39.6% | 36.5% | 42.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 46.2% | 42.3% | 48.5% | 4 |
| 2010s | 47.8% | 47.8% | 47.8% | 1 |
| 2020s | 56.4% | 56.4% | 56.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- 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)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 126.12 million (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -8.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.0862 units per person (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 60.33 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India?
- Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in India was 56.4% in 2021, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 1971.
- How does India rank for modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women?
- India ranks 36th out of 113 countries with data for 2021.
- Is modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of married or co-habiting women who use at least one modern method of contraception vs. the average years of formal education that women between 15-64 years have attended.