Government spending on education below Unesco's 15% standard
India's education funding aligns with GDP standards but falls short of public spending goals. Completion rates for secondary schools lag behind national and UNESCO guidelines. This funding pattern emerges as countries shift focus from education financial targets. India's extensive education initiatives benefit millions of students, yet the sector continues to grapple with persistent challenges…
India's government spending on education has fallen below the UNESCO minimum standard of 15% either of GDP or public expenditure, according to the UN agency's 2026 SDG 4 scorecard. Education's share of GDP is 4.1%, while its share of total public spending is 14.2%, down from 15.7% in 2015. India lags behind on secondary school completion rates, with only 86% of students completing lower secondary school (Classes VI-VIII) and 51% completing upper secondary school (Classes IX-XII).
The country is among 64 of 205 countries that meet only one of the two benchmarks set by UNESCO. Only 19% of countries meet both thresholds, while 35% fail to meet either.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
