School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India
India: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 11.46 years in 2019. ▲ Rising
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India, 1971–2019
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India is 11.46 years, measured in 2019.
The figure is down 5.7% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India peaked at 12.34 years in 2016 and was at its lowest, 5.84 years, in 1971.
India ranks 130th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5.84 years | — |
| 1973 | 6.1 years | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 6.17 years | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 6.34 years | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 6.18 years | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 6.39 years | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 6.59 years | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 6.71 years | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 6.98 years | +4.0% |
| 1984 | 7.17 years | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 7.42 years | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 7.3 years | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 7.33 years | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 7.5 years | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 8.15 years | +8.7% |
| 1996 | 8.18 years | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 8.21 years | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 8.31 years | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 8.34 years | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 8.53 years | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 9.12 years | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 10.18 years | +11.6% |
| 2008 | 10.48 years | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 10.42 years | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 10.74 years | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 11.29 years | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 11.52 years | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 11.54 years | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 11.86 years | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 11.95 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 12.34 years | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 12.16 years | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 11.46 years | -5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.13 years | 5.84 years | 6.34 years | 5 |
| 1980s | 7.04 years | 6.39 years | 7.5 years | 9 |
| 1990s | 8.18 years | 8.15 years | 8.21 years | 3 |
| 2000s | 9.34 years | 8.31 years | 10.48 years | 7 |
| 2010s | 11.65 years | 10.74 years | 12.34 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near India
- 127 Bahamas 11.72 years compare
- 128 El Salvador 11.59 years compare
- 129 Namibia 11.54 years compare
- 131 Guyana 11.43 years compare
- 132 Republic of Moldova 11.43 years compare
- 133 Tajikistan 11.39 years compare
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 life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in India was 11.46 years in 2019, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 12.34 years in 2016.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.84 years in 1971.
- How does India rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- India ranks 130th out of 183 countries with data for 2019.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. 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 life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expected years of schooling is the number of years a child of school entrance age is expected to spend at school, or university, including years spent on repetition. It is the sum of the age-specific enrolment ratios for primary, secondary, post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary education.