Teachers in primary education, both sexes in India

India: Teachers in primary education, both sexes was 5.19 million in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
5.19 million
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
2nd
of 216 countries
All-time high
5.19 million
in 2025
All-time low
1.38 million
in 1971
Years of data
24
1971–2025

Teachers in primary education, both sexes in India, 1971–2025

1.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M1971199820251971: 1.4M1972: 1.4M1973: 1.5M1974: 1.5M1975: 1.5M1976: 1.6M1979: 1.6M1999: 2.8M2000: 2.8M2001: 2.8M2002: 2.8M2003: 3.0M2011: 3.9M2013: 4.4M2014: 4.4M2015: 4.4M2017: 4.4M2019: 4.3M2020: 4.6M2021: 4.6M2022: 4.7M2023: 4.8M2024: 5.0M2025: 5.2M

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 in India, year by year

Annual values for Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in India, 1971 to 2025.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 1 China 6.74 million compare
  2. 3 United States of America 1.78 million compare
  3. 4 Indonesia 1.51 million compare
  4. 5 Nigeria 913,305 compare

See the full ranking of 437 places →

More education data for India

All data for India →

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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Teachers in primary education, both sexes in India. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/teachers-in-primary-education-both-sexes-number/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
437 places, 18,918 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release