Archive · 10 Aug 2026
India's Education Spend at 14.2%, Below UNESCO's 15% Benchmark
Countries have agreed on how much money they will spend on education.
UNESCO, the organisation behind the targets, says each country should spend at least 4% of its GDP on education.
It also says education should be at least 15% of a government's total spending.
India spends 4.1% of its GDP on education, which meets the first target.
But education is only 14.2% of India's total government spending, which is below the 15% target.
UNESCO says India's progress on education is slow.
About 86% of students finish lower-secondary school, but the 2025 target was 99%.
Only 51% of students finish Classes 9 to 12, far below the 84% target.
India is not alone: China and Brazil also miss some targets, and so do the US, UK, Germany and France.
Only 39 out of 205 countries meet both education benchmarks.
India spends 4.1% of its GDP on education, slightly above UNESCO's minimum benchmark of 4%.
Education accounts for only 14.2% of total government expenditure, below UNESCO's 15% benchmark and down from 15.7% in 2015.
India's lower-secondary completion rate is 86%, below the 2025 target of 99% and UNESCO's more achievable 90% benchmark.
Upper-secondary completion for Classes 9 to 12 is just 51%, against the 2025 target of 84%.
Only 39 of 205 countries meet both UNESCO financing benchmarks, while 64, including India, meet only the GDP benchmark.
- Who
- India's government, assessed in UNESCO's 2026 SDG 4 Scorecard
- What
- India's education spending meets the GDP benchmark but falls below UNESCO's public expenditure benchmark
- When
- Reported August 10, 2026, based on UNESCO's 2026 SDG 4 Scorecard
- Where
- India, compared with other countries around the world
- Why
- Education accounts for only 14.2% of total government expenditure, below the 15% minimum benchmark
- Education share of GDP
- 4.1% (UNESCO minimum benchmark: 4%)
- Education share of government spending
- 14.2% (UNESCO minimum benchmark: 15%; 15.7% in 2015)
- Lower-secondary completion rate
- 86% (2025 target: 99%; UNESCO benchmark: 90%)
- Upper-secondary completion rate (Classes 9-12)
- 51% (2025 target: 84%)
- Countries meeting both benchmarks
- 39 of 205
- Countries meeting neither benchmark
- 72 of 205
- Countries meeting only the GDP benchmark
- 64, including India
- Government education programmes
- Samagra Shiksha and PM-Poshan