School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in India
India: School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) was 71.89 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
71.89 million
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
1st
of 220 countries
All-time high
75.24 million
in 2014
All-time low
38.95 million
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in India, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in India is 71.89 million, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in India peaked at 75.24 million in 2014 and was at its lowest, 38.95 million, in 1970.
India ranks 1st of 220 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.95 million | — |
| 1971 | 39.72 million | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 40.52 million | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 41.40 million | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 42.33 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 43.23 million | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 44.09 million | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 44.83 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 45.57 million | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 46.37 million | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 47.33 million | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 48.27 million | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 49.20 million | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 50.21 million | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 51.35 million | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 52.59 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 53.81 million | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 54.90 million | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 56.06 million | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 57.06 million | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 58.16 million | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 59.29 million | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 60.82 million | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 62.45 million | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 63.98 million | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 65.33 million | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 66.75 million | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 68.08 million | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 69.47 million | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 69.58 million | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 66.56 million | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 67.94 million | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 68.36 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 68.84 million | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 69.35 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 69.87 million | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 70.37 million | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 70.88 million | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 71.35 million | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 71.74 million | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 72.09 million | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 73.62 million | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 74.25 million | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 74.89 million | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 75.24 million | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 75.17 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 74.75 million | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 74.07 million | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 73.38 million | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 72.89 million | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 72.75 million | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 72.87 million | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 72.56 million | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 72.35 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 72.15 million | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 71.89 million | -0.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 71.89 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 902,081, 79.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 71.89 million is above the median for South Asia, which is 1.56 million, 46.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42.70 million | 38.95 million | 46.37 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.08 million | 47.33 million | 57.06 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 64.39 million | 58.16 million | 69.58 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.53 million | 66.56 million | 71.74 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.03 million | 72.09 million | 75.24 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.43 million | 71.89 million | 72.87 million | 6 |
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 school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in India?
- School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes in India was 71.89 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 75.24 million in 2014.
- What is the lowest school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.95 million in 1970.
- How does India rank for school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes?
- India ranks 1st out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, lower secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.4%. 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 School age population, lower secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release