Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in India

India: Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female was 61.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
61.7%
World rank
66th
of 83 countries
All-time high
61.7%
in 2018
All-time low
21.1%
in 1981
Years of data
6
1981–2018

Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in India, 1981–2018

20304050601981199920181981: 21.1 %1991: 28.7 %2001: 42.6 %2006: 44.5 %2011: 54 %2018: 61.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in India stood at 61.7%. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of up 38.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in India peaked at 61.7% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 21.1%, in 1981.

That places India 66th out of 83 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 21.1% 21.1% 21.1% 1
1990s 28.7% 28.7% 28.7% 1
2000s 43.5% 42.6% 44.5% 2
2010s 57.9% 54.0% 61.7% 2

Countries ranked near India

  1. 63 Cameroon 69.5% compare
  2. 64 Bangladesh 67.8% compare
  3. 65 Rwanda 65.5% compare
  4. 67 Uganda 61.4% compare
  5. 68 Morocco 61.0% compare
  6. 69 Egypt 60.5% compare

See the full ranking of 122 places →

More reference data data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in India?
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female in India was 61.7% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 61.7% in 2018.
What is the lowest literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 21.1% in 1981.
How does India rank for literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female?
India ranks 66th out of 83 countries with data for 2018.
Is literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is up 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, population 25-64 years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
122 places, 2,216 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Percentage of the female population between age 25 and age 64 who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of female literates aged 25-64 years by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.