Average years of schooling among adults in India
India: Average years of schooling among adults was 6.88 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in India, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, average years of schooling among adults in India stood at 6.88 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.7% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in India peaked at 6.88 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.78 years, in 1990.
India ranks 143rd of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.31 years | 2.78 years | 3.97 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.52 years | 4.14 years | 4.96 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.69 years | 5.06 years | 6.28 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.62 years | 6.49 years | 6.88 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (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)
- School enrollment, primary 111.0% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers 5.19 million (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 1.96 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 110.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in India?
- Average years of schooling among adults in India was 6.88 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling among adults recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 6.88 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.78 years in 1990.
- How does India rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- India ranks 143rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.