Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India
India: Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes was 97.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India, 1981–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India is 97.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India peaked at 97.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 53.8%, in 1981.
That places India 51st out of 95 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 53.8% | — |
| 1991 | 61.9% | +15.1% |
| 2001 | 76.4% | +23.5% |
| 2006 | 81.1% | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 87.9% | +8.4% |
| 2011 | 86.1% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 90.0% | +4.4% |
| 2016 | 90.3% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 94.6% | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 94.8% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 95.7% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 95.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 96.5% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 97.0% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 97.3% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 53.8% | 53.8% | 53.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 61.9% | 61.9% | 61.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 78.8% | 76.4% | 81.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 90.6% | 86.1% | 94.8% | 6 |
| 2020s | 96.5% | 95.7% | 97.3% | 5 |
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 youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India?
- Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes in India was 97.3% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 97.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.8% in 1981.
- How does India rank for youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes?
- India ranks 51st out of 95 countries with data for 2024.
- Is youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. 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 Youth literacy rate, population 15-24 years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release