India

Adult literacy in India

Adult literacy in India: 40.8% in 1981 and 78.2% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates.

Latest, 2024
78.2%
Since 1981
+37.4 percentage points
World, 2024
87.7%
Watch it change on the map

% of adults · UNESCO

Adult literacy in IndiaAdult literacy in India: 40.8% in 1981 and 78.2% in 2024, by UNESCO estimates. The highest was 81.7% in 2023, the lowest 40.8% in 1981.
Estimates, UNESCOWorld

What the numbers say

  • The highest was 81.7% in 2023, the lowest 40.8% in 1981.

Every year

% of adults · UNESCO

YearIndiaWorld
202478.287.7
202381.787.6
202276.387.4
202176.187.2
202075.587
201974.986.8
201873.786.8
2017–86.5
2016–86.3
2015–86
2014–85.6
2013–85.2
201269.884.9
201169.384.7
201068.384.4
2009–83.8
2008–83.5
2007–83.1
200662.882.5
2005–82.6
2004–82.6
2003–82.2
2002–81.7
20016181.4
2000–81.1
1999–80.9
1998–80.5
1997–79.3
1996–77.3
1995–76.9
1994–76.4
1993–76
1992–75.5
199148.275.1
1990–74.6
1989–74.1
1988–73.6
1987–71.9
1986–71.3
1985–70.7
1984–70.2
1983–69.5
1982–68.9
198140.868.4
1980–67.8
1979–67.2
1978–66.5
1977–65.9
1976–65.6
1975–65.4

Good to know

  • The share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write a short, simple statement about their everyday life.
  • Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, via the World Bank.
  • The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

India in numbers

Every measure for India on one page

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment