Government Spending on Education Below Unesco’s 15% Standard

India’s education sector has been a subject of concern for years, and the latest numbers from Unesco’s 2026 SDG 4 scorecard only underscore the issue. The country narrowly meets one benchmark for government spending on education but lags in other areas.

Secondary school completion rates are particularly alarming. Only 86% of lower secondary students (Classes VI-VIII) complete their studies, falling short of the national benchmark of 99%. Similarly, just 51% of upper secondary students (Classes IX-XII) meet this target, which is set at 84%.

India’s commitment to education under the Education 2030 framework holds promise. Countries were supposed to spend between 4-6% of GDP and/or 15-20% of public expenditure on education. While India meets one benchmark – spending 4.1% of GDP on education – its share of public expenditure has actually declined by 1.5 percentage points since 2015, dropping below the prescribed threshold of 15%.

Other countries also struggle to meet these benchmarks. China spends only 4% of GDP (11.9% of public spending) on education, while Brazil and Indonesia fall short in both areas. However, India’s failure to allocate sufficient resources to education is particularly striking given its relatively high GDP growth rate over the past decade.

The implications are far-reaching. A well-educated population is essential for driving economic growth, improving health outcomes, and reducing inequality. Yet, India’s failure to invest adequately in education threatens to perpetuate a cycle of underdevelopment, exacerbating existing social and economic disparities.

Policymakers must address this issue urgently. The country’s ability to meet its own development goals – including those related to poverty reduction and inclusive growth – depends on its capacity to provide quality education to all citizens. In the context of India’s ongoing debate about its economic trajectory, the numbers from Unesco’s scorecard serve as a stark reminder that investment in human capital is essential for driving long-term prosperity.

The government must rethink its priorities and allocate more resources to the education sector if it hopes to bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement. A fundamental shift in how countries approach the development of their human resources is also required, rather than simply allocating more funds to education.