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Statistics · Country
Literacy rate in India
1981 – 2024 · 14 data points
7 of 7 · Countries
Updated 21 Oct 2026
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2024
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Latest value · 2024
78.2%
−3.5 pp
since 2023
Countries · 2024
7 of 7
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2012
+8.3 pp
vs World
−9.6 pp
World: 87.7% · 2024
Literacy rate, 1981 – 2024 percent · India · World
+8.3 pp since 2012
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
1981
2000
2024
India
World
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2024
Compared with Literacy rate · percent
India
78.2%
World
87.7%
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators
The series at a glance India · 1981 – 2024
Latest value
78.2% · 2024
First value
40.8% · 1981
Highest
81.7% · 2023
Lowest
40.8% · 1981
Data points
14
By year
All years · 1981 – 2024
| Year | India | Change | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 78.2% | −3.5 pp | 87.7% |
| 2023 | 81.7% | +5.4 pp | 87.6% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | +0.3 pp | 87.4% |
| 2021 | 76.1% | +0.5 pp | 87.2% |
| 2020 | 75.5% | +0.6 pp | 87.0% |
| 2019 | 74.9% | +1.2 pp | 86.8% |
| 2018 | 73.7% | +3.9 pp | 86.8% |
| 2012 | 69.8% | +0.5 pp | 84.9% |
| 2011 | 69.3% | +1.0 pp | 84.7% |
| 2010 | 68.3% | +5.6 pp | 84.4% |
| 2006 | 62.8% | +1.7 pp | 82.5% |
| 2001 | 61.0% | +12.8 pp | 81.4% |
| 1991 | 48.2% | +7.5 pp | 75.1% |
| 1981 | 40.8% | 68.3% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2024
Ranking · Countries
2021 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Literacy rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia | 99.9% | |
| 2 | Spain | 99.7% | |
| 3 | Romania | 99.2% | |
| 4 | Türkiye | 97.3% | |
| 5 | Mexico | 95.7% | |
| 6 | Colombia | 95.7% | |
| 7 | Brazil | 94.8% | |
| 8 | Ecuador | 94.5% | |
| 9 | Gabon | 88.9% | |
| 10 | Egypt | 82.1% | |
| 11 | Bangladesh | 76.4% | |
| 12 | India | 76.1% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2021
What it means
The share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write.
How it is calculated
People aged 15+ able to read and write a simple note divided by all people aged 15+.
Education & commute
India in numbers