Youth/adult literacy rate in India
India: Youth/adult literacy rate was 97.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
97.0%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
36th
of 57 countries
All-time high
97.0%
in 2023
All-time low
76.4%
in 2001
Years of data
6
2001–2023
Youth/adult literacy rate in India, 2001–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth/adult literacy rate in India is 97.0%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth/adult literacy rate in India peaked at 97.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 76.4%, in 2001.
That places India 36th out of 57 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Youth/adult literacy rate in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 76.4% | — |
| 2006 | 81.1% | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 86.1% | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 90.3% | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 96.5% | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 97.0% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 78.8% | 76.4% | 81.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 88.2% | 86.1% | 90.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 96.8% | 96.5% | 97.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
More education data for India
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133.16 million (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5.19 million (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 64.76 million (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 2.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 68.40 million (2025)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.3178 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 37.89 million (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2585 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth/adult literacy rate in India?
- Youth/adult literacy rate in India was 97.0% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest youth/adult literacy rate recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.4% in 2001.
- How does India rank for youth/adult literacy rate?
- India ranks 36th out of 57 countries with data for 2023.
- Is youth/adult literacy rate rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Youth/adult literacy rate (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).