Adult Literacy Rate in India
India: Adult Literacy Rate was 78.16 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult Literacy Rate in India, 1981–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate in India is 78.16, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 4.3% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate in India peaked at 81.7 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 40.76, in 1981.
That places India 77th out of 110 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Adult Literacy Rate in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 40.76 | — |
| 1991 | 48.22 | +18.3% |
| 2001 | 61.01 | +26.5% |
| 2006 | 62.75 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 68.33 | +8.9% |
| 2011 | 69.3 | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 69.83 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 73.69 | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 74.89 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 75.53 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 76.06 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 76.32 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 81.7 | +7.0% |
| 2024 | 78.16 | -4.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 78.16 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 78.21, 100% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
- India's 78.16 is below the median for South Asia, which is 79, 99% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adult Literacy Rate in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +26.5% | 48.22 | 61.01 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.76 | 40.76 | 40.76 | 1 |
| 1990s | 48.22 | 48.22 | 48.22 | 1 |
| 2000s | 61.88 | 61.01 | 62.75 | 2 |
| 2010s | 71.21 | 68.33 | 74.89 | 5 |
| 2020s | 77.55 | 75.53 | 81.7 | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More gender data for India
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 341,454 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.5667 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1.18 million (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1.18 million (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 10.96 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 11.71 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 10.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 11.70 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 10.89 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate in India?
- Adult literacy rate in India was 78.16 in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 81.7 in 2023.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.76 in 1981.
- How does India rank for adult literacy rate?
- India ranks 77th out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Adult Literacy Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.