Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in India
India: Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) was 17.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in India, 1998–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
India recorded 17.3% for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in 2020. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of up 21.8% on the previous year and up 58.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in India peaked at 17.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 1998.
That places India 54th out of 59 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 9.7% | — |
| 2000 | 10.5% | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | +24.1% |
| 2010 | 11.0% | -15.5% |
| 2015 | 10.9% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 14.2% | +30.3% |
| 2020 | 17.3% | +21.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 17.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 29.2%, 59% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.7% | 9.7% | 9.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 11.7% | 10.5% | 13.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 10.9% | 14.2% | 3 |
| 2020s | 17.3% | 17.3% | 17.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More science & technology data for India
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 79.35 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.7935 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.15 billion (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 389.67 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.6206 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 228,174 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in India?
- Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) in India was 17.3% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 17.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 1998.
- How does India rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte)?
- India ranks 54th out of 59 countries with data for 2020.
- Is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (fte) rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (FTE) - Business enterprise. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release