Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India

India: Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male was 9.14 million number in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
9.14 million number
World rank
1st
of 86 countries
All-time high
24.50 million number
in 1981
All-time low
9.14 million number
in 2018
Years of data
6
1981–2018

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India, 1981–2018

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M25.0M1981199920181981: 24.5M number1991: 23.4M number2001: 17.3M number2006: 13.8M number2011: 12.4M number2018: 9.1M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

India recorded 9.14 million number for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

The figure is down 33.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India peaked at 24.50 million number in 1981 and was at its lowest, 9.14 million number, in 2018.

That places India 1st out of 86 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India, year by year

Annual values for Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male (number) in India, 1981 to 2018.
Year number Change
1981 24.50 million number
1991 23.37 million number -4.6%
2001 17.32 million number -25.9%
2006 13.81 million number -20.3%
2011 12.41 million number -10.1%
2018 9.14 million number -26.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 24.50 million number 24.50 million number 24.50 million number 1
1990s 23.37 million number 23.37 million number 23.37 million number 1
2000s 15.56 million number 13.81 million number 17.32 million number 2
2010s 10.77 million number 9.14 million number 12.41 million number 2

Countries ranked near India

  1. 2 Pakistan 4.02 million number compare
  2. 3 Nigeria 3.51 million number compare
  3. 4 Ethiopia 3.08 million number compare

See the full ranking of 125 places →

More education data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India?
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India was 9.14 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 24.50 million number in 1981.
What is the lowest youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 9.14 million number in 2018.
How does India rank for youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male?
India ranks 1st out of 86 countries with data for 2018.
Is youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is down 33.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male in India. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/youth-illiterate-population-15-24-years-male-number/india/

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About this data

Indicator
Youth illiterate population, 15-24 years, male (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
125 places, 2,252 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total number of males between age 15 and age 24 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.