Compulsory education, duration in India
India: Compulsory education, duration was 8 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Compulsory education, duration in India, 2009–2025
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, compulsory education, duration in India stood at 8 years. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, compulsory education, duration in India peaked at 8 years in 2009 and was at its lowest, 8 years, in 2009.
India ranks 156th of 197 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8 years | 8 years | 8 years | 1 |
| 2010s | 8 years | 8 years | 8 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8 years | 8 years | 8 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
- 156 Belize 8 years compare
- 156 Croatia 8 years compare
- 156 Eritrea 8 years compare
- 156 Ethiopia 8 years compare
- 156 Malawi 8 years compare
- 156 Micronesia (country) 8 years compare
- 156 Samoa 8 years compare
- 156 Serbia 8 years compare
- 156 Somalia 8 years compare
- 156 South Sudan 8 years compare
- 156 Sudan 8 years compare
More education data for India
- Population ages 0-14 24.2% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 68.4% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 11 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 111.0% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers 5.19 million (2025)
- School enrollment, primary, female 110.6% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary, male 111.4% (2025)
- Labor force, female 28.3% (2025)
- Labor force, total 617.62 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is compulsory education, duration in India?
- Compulsory education, duration in India was 8 years in 2025, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest compulsory education, duration recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 8 years in 2009.
- What is the lowest compulsory education, duration recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 8 years in 2009.
- How does India rank for compulsory education, duration?
- India ranks 156th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is compulsory education, duration rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Compulsory education, duration (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Duration of compulsory education is the number of years that children are legally obliged to attend school.