School age population, one year before the official primary entry in India
India: School age population, one year before the official primary entry was 22.11 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
22.11 million
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
1st
of 222 countries
All-time high
25.04 million
in 1998
All-time low
15.35 million
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School age population, one year before the official primary entry in India, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, one year before the official primary entry in India is 22.11 million, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, one year before the official primary entry in India peaked at 25.04 million in 1998 and was at its lowest, 15.35 million, in 1970.
India ranks 1st of 222 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, one year before the official primary entry in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15.35 million | — |
| 1971 | 15.55 million | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 15.82 million | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 16.16 million | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 16.51 million | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 16.76 million | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 17.09 million | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 17.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 17.90 million | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 18.34 million | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 18.75 million | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 18.99 million | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 19.50 million | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 19.73 million | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 20.09 million | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 20.61 million | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 21.25 million | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 21.71 million | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 22.12 million | +1.9% |
| 1989 | 22.59 million | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 23.11 million | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 23.44 million | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 23.97 million | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 24.09 million | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 24.35 million | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 24.56 million | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 24.67 million | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 24.89 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 25.04 million | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 24.87 million | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 23.71 million | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 24.16 million | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 24.23 million | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 24.32 million | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 24.40 million | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 24.58 million | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 24.87 million | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 24.97 million | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 24.85 million | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 24.70 million | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 24.46 million | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 24.53 million | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 24.33 million | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 24.27 million | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 24.29 million | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 24.26 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 24.13 million | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 23.93 million | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 23.73 million | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 23.29 million | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 22.96 million | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 23.02 million | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 22.74 million | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 22.52 million | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 22.35 million | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 22.11 million | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.70 million | 15.35 million | 18.34 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.53 million | 18.75 million | 22.59 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.30 million | 23.11 million | 25.04 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.48 million | 23.71 million | 24.97 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.12 million | 23.29 million | 24.53 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.62 million | 22.11 million | 23.02 million | 6 |
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 school age population, one year before the official primary entry in India?
- School age population, one year before the official primary entry in India was 22.11 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 25.04 million in 1998.
- What is the lowest school age population, one year before the official primary entry recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.35 million in 1970.
- How does India rank for school age population, one year before the official primary entry?
- India ranks 1st out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, one year before the official primary entry rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. 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, one year before the official primary entry age, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release