School age population, primary education, both sexes in India
India: School age population, primary education, both sexes was 121.82 million number in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
121.82 million number
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
1st
of 206 countries
All-time high
127.76 million number
in 2014
All-time low
71.36 million number
in 1970
Years of data
51
1970–2020
School age population, primary education, both sexes in India, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, primary education, both sexes in India is 121.82 million number, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, primary education, both sexes in India peaked at 127.76 million number in 2014 and was at its lowest, 71.36 million number, in 1970.
India ranks 1st of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
School age population, primary education, both sexes in India, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 71.36 million number | — |
| 1971 | 72.66 million number | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 74.22 million number | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 75.76 million number | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 77.20 million number | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 78.48 million number | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 79.59 million number | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 81.15 million number | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 82.85 million number | +2.1% |
| 1979 | 84.61 million number | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 86.34 million number | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 87.93 million number | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 89.90 million number | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 91.84 million number | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 93.70 million number | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 95.43 million number | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 97.08 million number | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 99.13 million number | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 101.42 million number | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 103.91 million number | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 106.43 million number | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 108.75 million number | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 111.10 million number | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 113.16 million number | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 114.81 million number | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 116.04 million number | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 116.93 million number | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 118.08 million number | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 119.09 million number | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 119.90 million number | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 120.52 million number | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 120.94 million number | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 121.58 million number | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 122.29 million number | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 123.05 million number | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 123.82 million number | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 124.48 million number | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 125.20 million number | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 125.86 million number | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 126.42 million number | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 126.87 million number | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 127.16 million number | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 127.43 million number | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 127.65 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 127.76 million number | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 127.68 million number | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 127.30 million number | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 126.80 million number | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 125.71 million number | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 124.00 million number | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 121.82 million number | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 77.79 million number | 71.36 million number | 84.61 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 94.67 million number | 86.34 million number | 103.91 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 114.43 million number | 106.43 million number | 119.90 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 123.41 million number | 120.52 million number | 126.42 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 126.83 million number | 124.00 million number | 127.76 million number | 10 |
| 2020s | 121.82 million number | 121.82 million number | 121.82 million number | 1 |
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, primary education, both sexes in India?
- School age population, primary education, both sexes in India was 121.82 million number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 127.76 million number in 2014.
- What is the lowest school age population, primary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.36 million number in 1970.
- How does India rank for school age population, primary education, both sexes?
- India ranks 1st out of 206 countries with data for 2020.
- Is school age population, primary education, both sexes rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. 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, primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to primary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.