China vs India: School age population, one year before than official primary entry

China
17.42 million number
in 2020
India
23.27 million number
in 2020
China rank
2nd
India rank
1st

School age population, one year before than official primary entry over time

  • China
  • India
010.0M20.0M30.0M197019952020

How they compare

India currently reports 23.27 million number against 17.42 million number in China, a difference of 5.85 million number.

That makes India's figure about 1.3 times China's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 51 shared years of data; in 1970 it was China ahead.

China ranks 2nd and India ranks 1st of 202 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and India in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade China India Difference Ahead
1970s 25.46 million number 16.81 million number 8.65 million number China
1980s 21.41 million number 20.47 million number 942,760 number China
1990s 24.17 million number 23.94 million number 231,120 number China
2000s 17.56 million number 25.23 million number 7.67 million number India
2010s 16.93 million number 25.12 million number 8.19 million number India
2020s 17.42 million number 23.27 million number 5.85 million number India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher school age population, one year before than official primary entry, China or India?
India, at 23.27 million number against 17.42 million number in China as of 2020.
What is the difference in school age population, one year before than official primary entry between China and India?
5.85 million number, with India ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
51 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2020.
How do China and India rank globally for school age population, one year before than official primary entry?
China ranks 2nd and India ranks 1st of 202 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs India: School age population, one year before than official primary entry. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/school-age-population-one-year-before-than-official-primary-entry-age-both-sexes-number/china/india/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/school-age-population-one-year-before-than-official-primary-entry-age-both-sexes-number/china/india/">China vs India: School age population, one year before than official primary entry</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
School age population, one year before than official primary entry age, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
247 places, 12,237 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to one year before the official primary entry age as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/