Government spending on education below Unesco's 15% standard

NEW DELHI: India remains just above Unesco's minimum GDP benchmark for education, but the sector's share in government spending has slipped below the prescribed threshold. Education accounts for 4.1% of GDP but 14.2% of total public expenditure, down from 15.7% in 2015 and below the 15% benchmark, Unesco's 2026 SDG 4 scorecard has shown.The funding picture assumes significance because India continues to lag on secondary school completion. Its latest lower secondary (Classes VI-VIII) completion rate is 86% as against its 99% national benchmark for 2025, while upper secondary (Classes IX-XII) completion rate is 51% as against 84%. Unesco classifies progress at both levels as slow.Under the Education 2030 framework, countries committed to spending 4-6% of GDP and/or 15-20% of public expenditure on education. The scorecard uses the lower thresholds as minimum benchmarks. India meets one.