PLFS 2025: Education — India Labour Observatory

Name: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) January–December 2025: the observatory's tables
Creator: India Labour Observatory
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Kumar, Abhinav; Pradhan, Ananya

India Labour ObservatoryData & Methods PLFS 2025Education

Education

Schooling and technical education, the years in school, attendance, and work and unemployment at each level.

8 tables, from the records of the Periodic Labour Force Survey, January to December 2025, each cell with its standard error. 21 of the 25 figures of this section that MoSPI's press note prints are reproduced at the printed decimal; the others, and why.

Table 3.1Persons aged 15+ by level of general education

Persons aged 15+. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
Not literate	14.40.1	29.10.1	21.80.1	17.90.2	34.80.2	26.50.2	7.60.1	17.10.2	12.30.1
Literate, without formal schooling	0.20.0	0.20.0	0.20.0	0.20.0	0.20.0	0.20.0	0.10.0	0.20.0	0.20.0
Below primary	4.70.1	5.00.1	4.90.1	5.40.1	5.50.1	5.40.1	3.40.1	4.00.1	3.70.1
Primary	11.90.1	11.60.1	11.80.1	13.00.1	12.20.1	12.60.1	9.80.1	10.50.1	10.20.1
Middle	20.90.1	16.90.1	18.90.1	22.60.2	17.50.1	20.00.1	17.60.2	15.60.2	16.60.1
Secondary	15.70.1	12.40.1	14.10.1	15.20.1	11.50.1	13.30.1	16.80.2	14.30.1	15.60.1
Higher secondary	14.20.1	11.60.1	12.80.1	13.40.1	10.30.1	11.80.1	15.60.2	14.20.1	14.90.1
Diploma or certificate	2.20.0	0.80.0	1.40.0	1.70.0	0.60.0	1.10.0	3.00.1	1.20.0	2.10.0
Graduate	12.40.1	9.30.1	10.80.1	8.70.1	6.00.1	7.30.1	19.80.2	16.30.2	18.10.2
Postgraduate and above	3.40.1	3.10.0	3.30.0	1.90.1	1.50.0	1.70.0	6.30.1	6.60.1	6.50.1
Secondary and above	47.80.2	37.20.1	42.40.1	40.90.2	29.90.2	35.20.2	61.50.3	52.60.3	57.10.3

Table 3.2Labour force participation rate by level of general education, persons aged 15+, usual status

Persons aged 15+ at each level. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
Not literate	78.30.3	46.90.3	57.20.3	78.90.4	51.30.4	60.30.3	75.70.6	28.40.5	43.10.5
Literate, without formal schooling	81.52.9	42.52.9	59.32.2	82.33.5	47.63.5	63.62.7	78.84.2	31.65.2	48.63.8
Below primary	85.80.5	52.70.7	68.50.4	87.00.5	59.50.8	72.70.5	82.20.8	33.11.0	55.80.8
Primary	88.40.2	45.90.4	67.10.3	89.60.3	53.00.6	71.40.4	85.30.4	28.60.6	56.30.5
Middle	80.30.2	36.90.4	60.60.2	81.30.3	42.40.5	63.90.3	77.70.4	24.00.5	52.70.4
Secondary	68.40.3	27.20.3	49.90.2	70.10.3	33.00.4	53.60.3	65.30.5	17.40.4	43.50.4
Higher secondary	69.10.4	26.20.3	49.50.3	72.30.4	31.80.5	54.20.4	63.70.6	17.70.4	42.00.4
Diploma or certificate	88.20.5	51.91.3	78.60.6	90.10.8	55.72.1	81.40.8	85.90.7	48.01.6	75.40.7
Graduate	86.90.2	39.20.4	66.20.2	90.60.3	42.70.6	70.50.4	83.80.4	36.40.5	62.60.3
Postgraduate and above	88.60.4	51.60.6	70.70.4	92.80.6	58.61.3	77.60.7	86.10.5	48.30.7	67.00.5
Secondary and above	75.70.2	32.40.2	56.50.1	77.10.2	36.20.3	59.30.2	74.00.3	27.90.3	53.00.2

Table 3.3Worker population ratio by level of general education, persons aged 15+, usual status

Persons aged 15+ at each level. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
Not literate	78.00.3	46.90.3	57.00.3	78.60.4	51.20.4	60.20.3	75.00.6	28.20.5	42.80.5
Literate, without formal schooling	80.82.9	42.52.9	59.02.2	81.73.5	47.63.5	63.32.7	77.84.3	31.65.2	48.23.8
Below primary	85.30.5	52.60.7	68.20.5	86.70.5	59.40.8	72.60.5	81.10.8	33.11.0	55.30.8
Primary	87.60.3	45.70.4	66.60.3	88.80.3	52.90.6	71.00.4	84.30.4	28.40.6	55.70.5
Middle	78.70.3	36.60.4	59.60.2	79.80.3	42.20.5	62.90.3	76.00.4	23.50.5	51.50.3
Secondary	66.80.3	26.80.3	48.90.2	68.70.4	32.70.4	52.70.3	63.50.5	17.00.4	42.30.4
Higher secondary	65.90.4	24.90.3	47.20.3	69.00.4	30.40.5	51.70.4	60.70.6	16.60.4	39.90.4
Diploma or certificate	82.70.6	46.61.3	73.20.6	84.20.9	49.32.1	75.30.9	81.10.8	43.91.5	70.80.8
Graduate	79.10.3	32.40.4	58.80.3	82.10.4	34.50.6	62.20.4	76.40.4	30.70.5	56.00.3
Postgraduate and above	83.10.5	42.90.6	63.60.4	87.00.8	46.01.3	68.80.8	80.80.6	41.40.7	60.90.5
Secondary and above	71.60.2	29.40.2	52.90.1	73.20.2	33.20.3	55.80.2	69.60.3	24.80.3	49.20.2

Table 3.4Unemployment rate by level of general education, persons aged 15+, usual status

Persons aged 15+ at each level. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
Not literate	0.40.1	0.20.0	0.30.0	0.30.1	0.10.0	0.20.0	0.90.2	0.50.2	0.70.1
Literate, without formal schooling	0.90.5	0.00.0	0.50.3	0.70.6	0.00.0	0.40.3	1.31.3	0.00.0	0.80.8
Below primary	0.60.1	0.10.1	0.40.1	0.30.1	0.20.1	0.30.1	1.40.4	0.10.1	1.00.2
Primary	0.90.1	0.30.1	0.70.1	0.80.1	0.20.1	0.60.1	1.20.1	0.90.3	1.10.1
Middle	1.90.1	0.80.1	1.60.1	1.80.1	0.50.1	1.50.1	2.20.2	2.00.5	2.20.2
Secondary	2.30.1	1.40.1	2.10.1	2.00.1	1.10.1	1.80.1	2.80.1	2.50.3	2.70.1
Higher secondary	4.60.2	5.00.3	4.70.1	4.60.2	4.60.3	4.60.2	4.60.2	6.10.5	4.90.2
Diploma or certificate	6.20.4	10.21.2	6.90.4	6.60.6	11.51.9	7.50.6	5.60.4	8.51.2	6.10.4
Graduate	9.00.2	17.40.5	11.20.2	9.30.3	19.20.7	11.80.3	8.80.3	15.70.5	10.60.3
Postgraduate and above	6.20.3	16.80.7	10.00.3	6.30.5	21.41.3	11.30.6	6.20.4	14.20.7	9.20.4
Secondary and above	5.50.1	9.50.2	6.50.1	5.10.1	8.30.3	6.00.1	5.90.2	11.20.3	7.20.1

Table 3.5Average years in formal education

Persons with formal schooling (general education 05-13). years. Class completed (I-XII) and the years completed after it.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
Aged 15 and above	10.20.0	9.90.0	10.00.0	9.60.0	9.20.0	9.40.0	11.20.0	10.90.0	11.00.0
Aged 25 and above	10.00.0	9.50.0	9.80.0	9.30.0	8.60.0	9.00.0	11.20.0	10.80.0	11.00.0

Table 3.6Persons aged 15+ by technical education

Persons aged 15+. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
No technical education	94.40.1	97.10.1	95.70.1	96.50.1	98.40.0	97.40.0	90.20.2	94.40.1	92.30.1
Technical degree	2.60.1	1.50.0	2.00.0	1.20.0	0.70.0	0.90.0	5.30.2	3.20.1	4.20.1
Diploma or certificate below graduate level	2.30.0	0.90.0	1.60.0	1.90.0	0.70.0	1.30.0	3.20.1	1.40.0	2.30.1
Diploma or certificate, graduate level and above	0.80.0	0.50.0	0.60.0	0.50.0	0.30.0	0.40.0	1.40.1	1.00.0	1.20.0

Table 3.7Currently attending an educational institution, by age

Persons of each age group. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
15-17	84.60.4	82.40.5	83.60.3	83.20.5	80.30.6	81.80.4	87.90.6	87.60.6	87.80.5
18-22	44.20.4	41.50.4	42.90.3	40.30.5	36.00.5	38.20.4	52.40.7	54.20.7	53.30.6
23-29	5.60.2	4.30.1	4.90.1	4.50.2	3.10.1	3.80.1	7.40.3	6.80.3	7.10.2
15-29	36.50.3	32.70.2	34.60.2	35.20.3	30.50.3	32.80.2	39.00.4	37.70.4	38.40.3

Table 3.8After primary school: whether persons went on to middle school

Persons aged 15+ whose highest level is primary. per cent.

MenWomenEveryone All India. PLFS 2025, computed by the observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records.

every table, unrounded

	All India			Rural			Urban
	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone	Men	Women	Everyone
Did not enrol	31.30.5	34.10.5	32.70.4	32.20.6	36.00.6	34.10.5	29.10.8	29.30.7	29.20.6
Enrolled, did not attend	12.70.3	12.40.3	12.50.3	13.00.4	13.00.4	13.00.3	12.00.5	10.70.5	11.40.4
Enrolled and attended	56.00.5	53.60.5	54.80.4	54.90.6	51.00.6	52.90.5	58.90.8	59.90.8	59.40.7

Computed by the India Labour Observatory from MoSPI's unit-level records of the Periodic Labour Force Survey, January to December 2025; Release 2026.10.