A recent report by the UNESCO Statistical Institute on the Global Education Fund indicates that India’s government spending on education ranged from 13.5% to 17.2% of its total public expenditure during the same time period. In a concerted effort to boost education in the country, India consistently allocated 4.1% to 4.6% of its GDP to education from 2015 to 2024, which follows the international guidelines set by the ‘Education 2030 Action Framework’. This framework recommends that nations invest 4% to 6% of their GDP in education. A recent report by the UNESCO Statistical Institute on the Global Education Fund indicates that India’s government spending on education ranged from 13.5% to 17.2% of its total public expenditure during the same time period. This is in line with the Education 2030 goal, which urges governments to devote 15% to 20% of their public budgets to education. The report analyses global investment trends in education, with an emphasis on efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, which aims to provide inclusive and equitable quality education.
India’s steady investment in education is notable, especially when compared to some neighbouring countries, with India ahead of others in both GDP percentage and overall government spending on education. In contrast to the worldwide decline in education investment, India has maintained a consistent commitment.
The report emphasises that while the global average of education expenditure as a share of total expenditure is declining, Central and Southern Asian countries have shown an increase in investment since the 2010s.
Notes
In 2022, India’s education expenditure as a percentage of GDP will be surpassed only by Bhutan (7.5%), Kazakhstan (7.2%), Maldives (4.7%), Tajikistan (5.7%) and Uzbekistan (5.2%) in the region. Compared to the entire Asian continent, India’s spending exceeds that of countries like China and Japan.
