Literacy in India has been increasing as more and more people receive a better education, but it is still far from all-encompassing. In 2022, the degree of literacy in India was about 76.32 percent, with the majority of literate Indians being men. It is estimated that the global literacy rate for people aged 15 and above is about 86 percent. How to read a literacy rateIn order to identify potential for intellectual and educational progress, the literacy rate of a country covers the level of education and skills acquired by a country’s inhabitants. Literacy is an important indicator of a country’s economic progress and the standard of living – it shows how many people have access to education. However, the standards to measure literacy cannot be universally applied. Measures to identify and define illiterate and literate inhabitants vary from country to country: In some, illiteracy is equated with no schooling at all, for example. Writings on the wallGlobally speaking, more men are able to read and write than women, and this disparity is also reflected in the literacy rate in India – with scarcity of schools and education in rural areas being one factor, and poverty another. Especially in rural areas, women and girls are often not given proper access to formal education, and even if they are, many drop out. Today, India is already being surpassed in this area by other emerging economies, like Brazil, China, and even by most other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. To catch up, India now has to offer more educational programs to its rural population, not only on how to read and write, but also on traditional gender roles and rights.

As of 2021, India recorded a higher nationwide literacy rate among men than women, at respectively 84.4 percent of male population and 71.5 percent of female population. The gender literacy gap was more evident in rural India, with only 66 percent of women aged between 15 and 49 years being literate, compared to over 81 percent of their male counterparts in the region.

Literacy Rate: Delhi data was reported at 86.200 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.670 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Delhi data is updated decadal, averaging 73.615 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 86.200 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 61.950 % in 12-01-1961. Literacy Rate: Delhi data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

In 2022, the degree of literacy in India was about 97 percent among the youth between the ages of 15 to 24 years. An exponential increase in the literary rate was seen over the years from 1981 in the country.

Literacy Rate: Uttar Pradesh data was reported at 67.700 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 56.270 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Uttar Pradesh data is updated decadal, averaging 32.650 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.700 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 12.020 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Uttar Pradesh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in India was reported at 45.38 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. India - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Among the states in India, Kerala had the highest literary rate with 94 percent in 2011. Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and the capital territory of Delhi followed Kerala with above average literacy rates. Notably, all the leading states in the country had more literate males than females at the time of the census.

Literacy Rate: Tamil Nadu data was reported at 80.100 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 73.450 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Tamil Nadu data is updated decadal, averaging 58.525 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 80.100 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 36.390 % in 12-01-1961. Literacy Rate: Tamil Nadu data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy Rate: Rajasthan data was reported at 66.100 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 60.410 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Rajasthan data is updated decadal, averaging 30.110 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66.100 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 8.500 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Rajasthan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

As per the estimates for the year 2023, the literacy rate among women in India was 70 percent. Meanwhile, the literacy rate among their male Indian counterparts reached approximately 85 percent in the same period. The adult literacy rate in the country stood at 77 percent.

The statistic displays the literacy rate in Haryana in India between 1991 and 2011, broken down by gender. In 2001, close to 80 percent of the male population living in Haryana knew how to read or write. India's literacy rate from 1981 through 2011 can be found here.

Literacy Rate: Haryana data was reported at 75.600 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 67.910 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Haryana data is updated decadal, averaging 55.850 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 75.600 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 25.710 % in 12-01-1971. Literacy Rate: Haryana data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy Rate: Odisha data was reported at 72.900 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 63.080 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Odisha data is updated decadal, averaging 33.620 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 72.900 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 15.800 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Odisha data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

In 2021, India had a rank of 73 out of 120 countries for internet literacy. Internet literacy, according to research, assessed the level of education and preparedness to use the internet. In terms of sub-indices, web accessibility ranked highest.

Literacy Rate: Tripura data was reported at 87.200 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 73.190 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Tripura data is updated decadal, averaging 55.270 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 87.200 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 20.240 % in 12-01-1961. Literacy Rate: Tripura data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy Rate: Chhattisgarh data was reported at 70.300 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 64.660 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Chhattisgarh data is updated decadal, averaging 32.630 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 70.300 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 9.410 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Chhattisgarh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

The statistic shows the degree of adult literacy in China from 1982 to 2020. In 2020, the literacy rate, which is defined as people aged 15 and above who can read and write, had reached about 97.15 percent in China.

Global literacy rates

By 2020, around 86.8 percent of the world population aged 15 years and above had been able to read and write. While in developed regions this figure ranged a lot higher, only around 67 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa was literate. Countries with the lowest literacy rates are also the most underdeveloped worldwide. According to UNESCO, literacy is a human right, especially in a fast-changing and technology-driven world. In China, the literacy rate has developed from 79 percent in 1982 to 97 percent in 2020, indicating that almost one million people per year had become literate over three decades. In India, the situation was entirely different. The second most populous country in the world displayed a literacy rate of merely 76 percent in 2022.

Literacy in China

The dramatic increase in literacy in China has a lot to do with the efficacy of numerous political, economic and educational policies. In 1982, compulsory education was written into the Chinese constitution, postulating a nine-year compulsory education funded by the government. As is shown by the graph above, there was a large gender gap in literacy rate in China as of 1982. Though this gap still existed in 2020, it was narrowed down to three percent, starting from 28 percent in 1982. Since 1990, the national education policy was directed at females, especially from poor and/or minority families. Over the past years, China has achieved gender parity in primary schooling.

However, regional literacy disparities in China should not to be overlooked. Regions with a strong economic background tend to display illiteracy rates below national average. In contrast, economically underdeveloped regions have a much larger share of people who cannot read nor write. Tibet for instance, a region where 92 percent of the population belong to an ethnic minority, showed the highest illiterate rate nationwide, with around 34 percent in 2022.

Literacy Rate: Lakshadweep data was reported at 91.800 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 86.660 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Lakshadweep data is updated decadal, averaging 68.420 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 91.800 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 15.230 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Lakshadweep data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy Rate: Puducherry data was reported at 85.800 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 81.240 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Puducherry data is updated decadal, averaging 69.940 % from Dec 1961 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85.800 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 43.650 % in 12-01-1961. Literacy Rate: Puducherry data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.

Literacy Rate: Nagaland data was reported at 79.600 % in 12-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 66.590 % for 12-01-2001. Literacy Rate: Nagaland data is updated decadal, averaging 50.280 % from Dec 1951 (Median) to 12-01-2011, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 79.600 % in 12-01-2011 and a record low of 10.520 % in 12-01-1951. Literacy Rate: Nagaland data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Education Sector – Table IN.EDA001: Literacy Rate.