India's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) was 14.16% in 2022, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 0.16 percentage points from 13.99% in 2012.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 14.16% | 2022 |
| Five years earlier | 15.81% | 2017 |
| Ten years earlier | 13.99% | 2012 |
| Highest | 16.96% | 1999 |
| Lowest | 11.19% | 2009 |
| Average since 2013 | 15.35% | 2013–2022 |
| First recorded | 13.32% | 1997 |
What the numbers say
In 2022, India's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) fell 0.77 percentage points on 2021 (from 14.92% to 14.16%).
Across the 18 yearly changes before that (1998 to 2021), the average change was +0.36 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.11 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2.8 percentage points in 1999 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.81 percentage points in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2022, India had the 14th highest value of the 44 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| India | 14.16% | 2022 |
| World | 13.96% | 2023 |
| South Asia | 11.32% | 2025 |
| Lower middle income | 13.62% | 2024 |
Closest to India in the 2022 ranking
What this measures
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.
Limitations: Data on government expenditure on education may refer to spending by the ministry of education only (excluding spending on educational activities by other ministries). In addition, definitions and methods of data on total general government expenditure may differ across countries.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.
All 22 values
| Year | Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 14.16 |
| 2021 | 14.92 |
| 2020 | 15.99 |
| 2019 | 14.82 |
| 2018 | 16.64 |
| 2017 | 15.81 |
| 2016 | 15.72 |
| 2015 | 15.69 |
| 2014 | 15.72 |
| 2013 | 14.05 |
| 2012 |
Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) in nearby economies
- Bangladesh — 11.88% (2025)
- Bhutan — 22.22% (2025)
- Maldives — 9.65% (2025)
- Nepal — 10.75% (2025)
- Sri Lanka — 7.22% (2024)
More education data for India
- Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils — 126.12 million (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 111.03% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 110.61% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 111.42% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.02 (2021)
- Secondary education, pupils — 133.16 million (2025)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is India's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure)?
- 14.16% in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1997?
- It is up 0.83 percentage points from 13.32% in 1997. The highest value was 16.96% in 1999 and the lowest 11.19% in 2009.
- How does India rank?
- 14th highest of 44 economies with data for 2022.
- Is the latest change in government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) unusual for India?
- In 2022, India's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) fell 0.77 percentage points on 2021 (from 14.92% to 14.16%). Across the 18 yearly changes before that (1998 to 2021), the average change was +0.36 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.11 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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