School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in India
India: School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes was 66.02 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
66.02 million
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
1st
of 222 countries
All-time high
75.86 million
in 1998
All-time low
31.04 million
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in India, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in India stood at 66.02 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in India peaked at 75.86 million in 1998 and was at its lowest, 31.04 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, pre-primary education, both sexes in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 31.04 million | — |
| 1971 | 31.52 million | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 32.13 million | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 32.82 million | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 33.42 million | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 34.01 million | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 34.78 million | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 35.59 million | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 36.40 million | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 37.24 million | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 37.89 million | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 38.64 million | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 39.37 million | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 39.96 million | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 40.83 million | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 42.00 million | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 43.10 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 43.97 million | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 44.85 million | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 45.84 million | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 46.68 million | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 47.54 million | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 48.18 million | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 48.56 million | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 49.02 million | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 49.34 million | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 49.67 million | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 75.39 million | +51.8% |
| 1998 | 75.86 million | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 75.56 million | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 71.75 million | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 73.06 million | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 73.27 million | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 73.60 million | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 74.11 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 74.64 million | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 74.89 million | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 74.70 million | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 74.18 million | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 73.48 million | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 72.74 million | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 73.26 million | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 73.00 million | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 72.89 million | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 72.72 million | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 72.39 million | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 71.89 million | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 71.01 million | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 69.99 million | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 69.22 million | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 68.73 million | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 68.46 million | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 67.81 million | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 67.23 million | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 66.66 million | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 66.02 million | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 33.89 million | 31.04 million | 37.24 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 41.64 million | 37.89 million | 45.84 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 56.58 million | 46.68 million | 75.86 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.77 million | 71.75 million | 74.89 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.91 million | 69.22 million | 73.26 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.49 million | 66.02 million | 68.73 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.19 million (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.4% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.2% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 11 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 111.03 (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 111.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in India?
- School age population, pre-primary education, both sexes in India was 66.02 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 75.86 million in 1998.
- What is the lowest school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.04 million in 1970.
- How does India rank for school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes?
- India ranks 1st out of 222 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, pre-primary education, both sexes rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. 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, pre-primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release