Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in India
India: Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) was 5.19 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in India, 1971–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
India recorded 5.19 million for teachers in primary education, both sexes in 2025. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in India peaked at 5.19 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.38 million, in 1971.
That places India 2nd out of 216 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1.38 million | — |
| 1972 | 1.41 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 1.47 million | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 1.48 million | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 1.55 million | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 1.56 million | +0.8% |
| 1979 | 1.60 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 2.77 million | +73.5% |
| 2000 | 2.84 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 2.84 million | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 2.83 million | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 3.04 million | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 3.92 million | +29.0% |
| 2013 | 4.37 million | +11.5% |
| 2014 | 4.40 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 4.40 million | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 4.37 million | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 4.34 million | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 4.60 million | +6.0% |
| 2021 | 4.65 million | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 4.66 million | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 4.82 million | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 5.02 million | +4.1% |
| 2025 | 5.19 million | +3.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 5.19 million is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 46,016, 112.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 5.19 million is above the median for South Asia, which is 115,394, 45.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +73.5% | 1.60 million | 2.77 million |
| 2011 | +29.0% | 3.04 million | 3.92 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.49 million | 1.38 million | 1.60 million | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.77 million | 2.77 million | 2.77 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.89 million | 2.83 million | 3.04 million | 4 |
| 2010s | 4.30 million | 3.92 million | 4.40 million | 6 |
| 2020s | 4.82 million | 4.60 million | 5.19 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
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 teachers in primary education, both sexes in India?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in India was 5.19 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 5.19 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.38 million in 1971.
- How does India rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- India ranks 2nd out of 216 countries with data for 2025.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.0%. 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 Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release