School enrollment, primary in India
India: School enrollment, primary was 111.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in India, 1971–2025
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, primary in India is 111.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 7.9% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in India peaked at 120.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 78.4%, in 1971.
India ranks 34th of 205 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary in India, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 78.4% | — |
| 1972 | 79.3% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 82.7% | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 82.2% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 82.9% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 82.5% | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 85.1% | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 81.3% | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 81.1% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 82.4% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 83.6% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 84.3% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 86.2% | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 87.8% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 87.6% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 89.5% | +2.2% |
| 1987 | 87.1% | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 88.5% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 91.5% | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 90.8% | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 90.4% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 90.8% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 92.3% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 93.2% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 92.5% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 91.9% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 91.5% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 90.0% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 91.8% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 98.8% | +7.6% |
| 2001 | 96.9% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 97.4% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 105.7% | +8.4% |
| 2007 | 113.3% | +7.3% |
| 2008 | 113.8% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 112.5% | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 112.2% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 109.7% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 112.4% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 106.1% | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 103.6% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 104.2% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 103.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 101.9% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 101.1% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 99.5% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 101.3% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 102.3% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 111.1% | +8.6% |
| 2023 | 112.0% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 120.5% | +7.6% |
| 2025 | 111.0% | -7.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 111.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 102.7%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 111.0% is above the median for South Asia, which is 108.8%, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 81.7% | 78.4% | 85.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 86.8% | 82.4% | 91.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.5% | 90.0% | 93.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 105.5% | 96.9% | 113.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 105.4% | 99.5% | 112.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 109.7% | 101.3% | 120.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 31 Afghanistan 112.2% compare
- 32 Albania 111.5% compare
- 33 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 111.4% compare
- 35 Portugal 111.0% compare
- 36 Grenada 110.6% compare
- 37 Sao Tome and Principe 110.4% compare
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 enrollment, primary in India?
- School enrollment, primary in India was 111.0% in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 120.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.4% in 1971.
- How does India rank for school enrollment, primary?
- India ranks 34th out of 205 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.