This page compares the education systems of France and India.
Education System Overview
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public-private mix; governance is centralized, with national rules for curricula, qualifications and teacher recruitment. Regions, departments and municipalities manage responsibilities such as school buildings, equipment and local services. Most private-school students attend institutions operating under contract with the state. [French Ministry] | Public/private mix; governance is shared between the Union government and States/Union Territories (UTs). Education is on the Constitution's Concurrent List, allowing both levels of government to legislate on education. States and UTs administer much of school provision, while national bodies establish policies, standards and central programmes. [MoE] |
| Governing Body | Ministry of National Education for primary and secondary education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space for tertiary education and research. Regional education authorities (rectorats) administer national school policy within their respective academies. | Ministry of Education, through the Department of School Education & Literacy and the Department of Higher Education, together with State/UT education departments. Other bodies include the NCERT, CBSE, University Grants Commission (UGC), AICTE and NCTE, each with responsibilities within its statutory or administrative remit. [MoE] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 4.5% of GDP in 2023, representing government expenditure on educational institutions from primary through tertiary education under the OECD's initial-funds measure. Private expenditure on the same institutions accounted for another 0.8% of GDP. Under the broader measure covering government education expenditure both inside and outside educational institutions, France spent approximately 4.6% of GDP in 2023. These figures use different expenditure boundaries and are not directly interchangeable. [OECD] | 4.1% of GDP in 2022, the latest value in the World Bank indicator sourced from UNESCO UIS. The measure covers general government education expenditure, including current and capital spending and transfers, across education levels. It differs from the Union government's education budget alone because it includes expenditure by State and local governments. [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | From age 3 to age 16. A separate training obligation until age 18 applies to young people no longer covered by compulsory instruction. It can be fulfilled through schooling, apprenticeship, vocational training, employment combined with an approved support arrangement, civic service or another recognized pathway. [Éduscol] | Ages 6–14. Article 21A of the Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 establish the legal entitlement to free elementary education for this age group. The National Education Policy 2020 addresses education from ages 3–18, but it has not extended the nationwide statutory compulsory-schooling age to 18. [India Code] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 13 years of compulsory instruction, normally from ages 3 to 16. The subsequent training obligation extends participation in education, training or an eligible activity until age 18 but does not require every young person to remain in full-time school. | 8 years of elementary education, normally covering Classes I–VIII and the statutory ages 6–14. [India Code] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Compulsory from age 3. Children normally attend three years of école maternelle before entering elementary school at approximately age 6. In 2024, the schooling rate was 98.5% at age 3 and approximately 100% at ages 4 and 5. Earlier admission at age 2 is available in some schools, subject to capacity and local priority arrangements. [French Ministry] | Not compulsory nationally. Pre-school provision includes Anganwadi centres, government-school pre-primary sections, Balvatika classes, private preschools and other early learning services. NEP 2020 incorporates three years of pre-school education into the Foundational Stage. In UDISE+ 2025–26, total school enrollment, including pre-primary, reached approximately 24.72 crore (247.2 million) students. This is a combined school-system figure, not a pre-primary enrollment rate. [Samagra Shiksha] [UDISE+] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 5 + 4 + 3: five years of elementary education (école élémentaire, CP–CM2), four years of lower secondary education (collège, sixième–troisième) and three years of upper secondary education (lycée, seconde–terminale). Pre-primary education normally adds three compulsory years before elementary school. Upper secondary pathways include general, technological and vocational education. [French Ministry] | 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 under NEP 2020: Foundational Stage (three years of pre-school plus Classes I–II), Preparatory Stage (Classes III–V), Middle Stage (Classes VI–VIII) and Secondary Stage (Classes IX–XII). The structure spans ages 3–18. It is a pedagogical organization; traditional primary, upper-primary, secondary and higher-secondary school classifications remain in use for administration and reporting. [MoE] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | Approximately 29.3% vocational / 70.7% general and technological among students attending lycée programmes in 2025. The figures reflect 661,600 students in vocational lycée programmes and 1,599,400 in general and technological programmes. They exclude apprentices enrolled through separate apprenticeship arrangements, so the vocational share is not directly equivalent to the OECD's broader upper-secondary vocational classification. [French Ministry] | No single comparable nationwide split is available for all upper secondary students. Vocational subjects may be offered within general secondary schools, and students can pursue vocational programmes through schools, training institutions and other pathways. These arrangements do not produce a simple division between separate general and vocational high school sectors. |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | September. In metropolitan France, the 2026/27 school year began on 1 September 2026, except in Corsica, where classes began on 3 September. Some overseas territories follow different dates. [French Ministry] | April–June in many State/UT school systems, with regional differences. CBSE-affiliated schools commonly follow an April–March academic session, while some states use June starts or other schedules. India does not have one nationwide first day of school. |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | July. Summer holidays in metropolitan France begin after classes on 3 July 2027 for the 2026/27 school year. Examination schedules and overseas territorial calendars may differ. [Légifrance] | March–May, depending on the State/UT, school board and local calendar. CBSE examination schedules and State Board calendars may differ from the dates used for regular classroom teaching. |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | 36 weeks, normally divided into five teaching periods separated by school holidays. Metropolitan France uses three holiday zones, A, B and C, to stagger winter and spring breaks. [Légifrance] | No single nationwide figure. Under the Right to Education Act, the statutory minimum is 200 working days for Classes I–V and 220 for Classes VI–VIII. The corresponding number of weeks depends on the school's weekly timetable and holiday calendar. [India Code] |
| Instruction Days per Year | No single nationwide number of instructional days applies to every school level and timetable. Primary schools generally provide 24 teaching hours per week, commonly distributed over four days or, where authorized, four and a half days. Across 36 weeks, these arrangements correspond to approximately 144 or 162 scheduled teaching days, respectively. Secondary-school timetables follow different weekly arrangements. Public holidays and local calendars can affect the actual number of days attended. [French Ministry] | 200 minimum working days for Classes I–V and 220 minimum working days for Classes VI–VIII under the RTE schedule. The Act also specifies minimum annual instructional hours of 800 and 1,000, respectively. No single statutory nationwide working-day figure covers all Classes IX–XII. [India Code] |
Grading System
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | The 0–20 scale is widely used in secondary education, where 10/20 commonly represents a passing average. Competency-based assessment is also used during compulsory schooling, particularly in primary education and collège. National examinations, including the diplôme national du brevet and baccalauréat, have their own assessment and award rules. | No single national grading scale. Marks, letter grades and assessment rules differ among State/UT boards, CBSE, CISCE and other recognized examination boards. CBSE commonly uses a nine-point grading scale in relevant secondary school reporting, alongside subject marks. Passing requirements depend on the examination and board regulations. |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Commonly 0–20, with 10/20 generally representing a passing mark, subject to institutional rules for compensation between course units. Higher education follows the Licence–Master–Doctorate (LMD) structure and uses ECTS credits, normally 60 credits per full-time academic year. [Campus France] | No uniform national scale. Universities use institution-specific percentages, letter grades and cumulative grade point averages (CGPA), commonly on a 10-point scale. Conversion and degree-award requirements are determined by institutional academic regulations. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | French is the principal language of instruction throughout the national school system. Authorized bilingual, European and international sections may teach specified subjects in another language. | Hindi, English and State/regional languages are widely used. The medium of instruction varies by State/UT, school board and institution. NEP 2020 promotes teaching in the home language, mother tongue or local/regional language during the early grades wherever practicable. [MoE] |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | French is the sole nationwide official language. Regional languages may be taught as subjects or through approved bilingual and immersion arrangements, including Breton, Basque, Catalan, Corsican, Occitan and regional Germanic languages such as Alsatian. Other recognized regional languages are offered in their respective territories. These arrangements do not confer nationwide official-language status. | India's 22 Eighth Schedule languages include several languages used as school instructional media. Regional and minority-language provision varies by State/UT, including Urdu and other locally recognized languages. No single nationwide list of instructional media applies to every school. CBSE began a phased introduction of a third language (R3) in selected grades during the 2026–27 session, with further expansion scheduled in subsequent years. [MoE] [CBSE] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | 86.4% in primary education and 78.8% in secondary education in 2025. Approximately 5,315,600 primary pupils and 4,431,300 secondary pupils attended public institutions. The primary figure includes pre-primary education, while the secondary figure covers collège and lycée. [French Ministry] | 49.7% of students in Classes I–XII attended government-managed schools in 2025–26. Government-aided schools accounted for another 10.5%. These categories are reported separately in UDISE+ and should not be combined when comparing institutions strictly by school management. [UDISE+] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | EUR 0 compulsory tuition for public primary and secondary education. Families may incur separate costs for school meals, optional activities, certain supplies or transport, depending on local rules and available financial support. [French Ministry] | INR 0 for elementary education covered by the Right to Education Act for children aged 6–14. Charges beyond the RTE-covered stage depend on State/UT rules and the particular government school system. Government programmes may also provide textbooks, meals, uniforms or other assistance to eligible students. [India Code] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes, with public primary and secondary education provided throughout metropolitan France and the overseas departments and regions. Local education authorities organize school catchment areas, admissions and transport arrangements. The system included approximately 47,000 primary schools, 7,000 collèges and 3,700 lycées across public and private sectors in 2025/26. [French Ministry] | Yes. Government-managed schools operate throughout India's States and Union Territories. UDISE+ recorded approximately 1.005 million government schools among 1,466,682 schools nationwide in 2025–26. School access, transport and availability at individual educational stages vary by locality. [UDISE+] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 13.6% in primary education and 21.2% in secondary education in 2025. Most pupils in the private sector attend schools operating sous contrat, where the state funds teacher salaries and schools follow national educational requirements. Independent schools operating hors contrat form a smaller, separately regulated category. [French Ministry] | 38.0% of students in Classes I–XII were enrolled in recognized private unaided schools in 2025–26. Other school-management categories accounted for the remaining students outside government, government-aided and private unaided institutions. [UDISE+] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Nationwide, with particularly high concentrations in Brittany and Pays de la Loire. Private schools under contract account for a much larger share of local primary provision in these western regions than in many eastern and central departments. For example, 34.6% of primary schools in Finistère were privately managed under contract in 2025, compared with a national share of approximately 9.8% of schools. These are shares of institutions rather than student enrollment. [French Ministry] | Nationwide, with extensive provision in large urban areas such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. Private schools also serve smaller cities and rural districts. Their enrollment share varies substantially across States/UTs and between urban and rural areas. |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | No single official national total covers all schools using international curricula, foreign-school systems and international sections in French institutions. Counts vary according to whether bilingual schools, independent international schools, French international sections and European Schools are included. The International Baccalaureate count is reported separately below. | No single verified national total covers all international-curriculum schools. Counts differ according to whether schools offering IB, Cambridge International and foreign national curricula are included, especially when schools offer more than one programme. |
| Number of IB World Schools | 25 IB World Schools currently offer at least one International Baccalaureate programme in France. The IB country directory lists 8 Primary Years Programme (PYP) providers, 7 Middle Years Programme (MYP) providers, 22 Diploma Programme (DP) providers and 2 Career-related Programme (CP) providers. Schools offering multiple programmes are counted once in the national total. [IB] | 277 IB World Schools currently offer at least one International Baccalaureate programme in India. The IB country directory lists 187 Primary Years Programme (PYP) providers, 84 Middle Years Programme (MYP) providers, 198 Diploma Programme (DP) providers and 43 Career-related Programme (CP) providers. Schools offering multiple programmes are counted only once in the national total. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), French International Baccalaureate (BFI), international sections, Cambridge International programmes, American-style curricula and European Baccalaureate programmes, depending on school authorization. The BFI is a French national qualification incorporating international components and is distinct from the IB Diploma Programme. | IB Primary Years, Middle Years, Diploma and Career-related Programmes; Cambridge Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE and International AS & A Level programmes. International curricula are offered by authorized schools, sometimes alongside CBSE, CISCE or State Board pathways. [IB] [Cambridge] |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | From the 2026 recruitment session, the main external teacher recruitment competitions opened at bachelor's level (bac+3), followed by two years of paid initial training for successful candidates. Transitional bac+5 competitions remain available through the 2027 recruitment session for eligible candidates following the previous route. Recruitment requirements differ for certain specialized competitions and teaching positions. [French Ministry] | Stage-appropriate NCTE-recognized qualifications and teacher-education preparation are required, together with applicable Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and recruitment requirements. Eligibility varies by teaching stage, school system and appointing authority. [NCTE] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | 21.1 students per elementary class in 2025. Pre-primary classes averaged approximately 21.7 pupils. These figures measure average classroom group size rather than the student-to-teacher ratio. [French Ministry] | — |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | 25.7 students per collège class in 2025. [French Ministry] | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | 30.2 students in general and technological lycée classes and 18.4 students in vocational lycée classes in 2025. These averages reflect the different organization of upper-secondary pathways. [French Ministry] | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. France has participated in every PISA cycle since the programme began in 2000. [OECD] | 2009+, with participation limited to Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh. India has not participated in the national PISA cycles of 2018, 2022 or 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 495 / 493 / 493. [OECD] | Not available. India did not participate in PISA 2018. |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 474 / 474 / 487. [OECD] | Not available. India did not participate in PISA 2022. |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 458 / 456 / 483. France performed close to the OECD averages of 463 in mathematics, 461 in reading and 482 in science. The OECD also reported a score of 497 for France in computational problem solving, a separately assessed PISA 2025 domain. [OECD] | Not available. India did not participate in PISA 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | France's 2025 scores were 16 points lower in mathematics and 18 points lower in reading than in 2022. Science fell by 4 points, a change that was not statistically clear. Compared with 2018, mathematics was 37 points lower, reading 37 points lower and science 10 points lower. The 2025 mathematics and reading results continued the decline recorded across recent PISA cycles. [OECD] | No national trend series is available. India's recorded participation was limited to the subnational PISA 2009+ assessment. Results cannot be compared with recent national PISA cycles because India did not participate in them. |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science — 483 points, followed by mathematics at 458 and reading at 456. Science was also the highest-scoring subject relative to France's other two reported averages, although scores across different PISA subjects should not be treated as direct measurements of identical skills. [OECD] | Not available; India has no PISA 2025 subject scores. |
Higher Education System
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | More than 3,500 public and private higher education institutions, under the broad institutional classification used by Campus France. These include universities, Grandes Écoles, engineering and business schools, art and architecture schools and specialized institutions. France enrolled approximately 3.05 million higher education students in 2025/26. [Campus France] [Higher Education Ministry] | 64,756 registered institutions in AISHE 2023–24: 1,289 universities/university-level institutions, 48,246 colleges and 15,221 stand-alone institutions. Of the registered institutions, 59,533 participated in the survey. Higher education enrollment reached approximately 45.0 million students, with a gross enrollment ratio of 30.0% for ages 18–23. [AISHE] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 78 universities and communities of institutions in the combined institutional category cited by Campus France. This figure includes university groupings and should not be interpreted as 78 separate research universities. The French university sector also includes experimental public institutions formed through mergers or institutional restructuring, which affect how universities are counted. [Campus France] | 1,289 universities and university-level institutions registered in AISHE 2023–24. India does not classify all these institutions under one separate national research-university category. Research-intensive institutions include the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), central universities and other public and private universities. [AISHE] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | No directly equivalent national university-of-applied-sciences sector. Professionally oriented higher education is delivered through Instituts universitaires de technologie (IUT), Sections de techniciens supérieurs (STS), engineering schools and other specialized institutions. IUTs generally operate within universities and offer the three-year Bachelor universitaire de technologie (BUT), while STS programmes usually lead to the two-year Brevet de technicien supérieur (BTS). | 48,246 registered colleges and 15,221 stand-alone institutions in AISHE 2023–24. India does not maintain a separate nationwide university-of-applied-sciences category comparable to some European systems. Applied and professional education is provided through colleges, polytechnics, technical institutes and universities. [AISHE] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities; Grandes Écoles; engineering schools; business and management schools; art and architecture schools; specialized higher education institutions; IUTs and STS programmes. University degrees follow the Licence–Master–Doctorate structure, while other institutions may award nationally recognized or institution-specific qualifications. | Central universities, State universities, private universities, deemed-to-be universities, institutions of national importance, affiliated colleges, autonomous colleges, polytechnics and specialized professional institutions. The AISHE statistical categories group these into universities/university-level institutions, colleges and stand-alone institutions. [AISHE] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Approximately 74.2% public / 25.8% private in 2025/26, according to the French higher education ministry's national enrollment statistics. Private-sector enrollment declined by approximately 1.7% from the previous academic year, while total tertiary enrollment increased by 1.1%. The private category includes business schools and other specialized providers as well as private degree-awarding institutions. [Higher Education Ministry] | Public and private institutions both serve large student populations. Enrollment depends on university, college and stand-alone institution management categories. A single verified ownership percentage covering the entire AISHE 2023–24 institutional population is not provided here. |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | More than 1,400 bachelor's and master's programme listings, based on Campus France's published catalogue figures of over 115 undergraduate programmes and more than 1,300 master's programmes taught wholly or partly in English. The broader catalogue contains over 1,600 English-taught offerings, including short and professional courses and summer programmes. Catalogue listings are not necessarily equivalent to unique accredited degrees. [Campus France] | No single verified nationwide programme count. English is widely used in engineering, medicine, management, science and postgraduate education. Universities also provide degree programmes in Hindi and State/regional languages. Programme numbers and language requirements vary by institution. |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | No verified national percentage. Hindi and State/regional languages are used in undergraduate and other higher education programmes, but the share varies by institution, field and state. English-medium programmes remain common, particularly in technical and professional education. |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | — | No single comparable nationwide percentage is available for all bachelor's and master's degree programmes. Institutions may offer English-medium, regional-language or bilingual instruction. |
| Main Global Ranking Used | Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2026, commonly known as the Shanghai Ranking. [Campus France] | QS World University Rankings 2027. India has 52 ranked institutions in this edition, compared with 54 in QS 2026. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 4 in ARWU 2026: Paris-Saclay University (#13), PSL University (#33), Sorbonne University (#55) and Université Paris Cité (#57). [Campus France] | 0 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. India's highest-ranked institution is Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (#118), followed by IIT Bombay (#=134) and IIT Madras (#170). [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 17 in ARWU 2026, comprising the four institutions ranked within the top 100 and 13 additional institutions ranked from 101 to 500. [Campus France] | 11 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IISc Bengaluru, IIT Kanpur, University of Delhi, IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, Shoolini University and Anna University. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 27 in ARWU 2026, including 10 institutions ranked between 501 and 1000. [Campus France] | 37 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, out of 52 Indian institutions appearing in the full ranking. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | Hcéres (High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education) evaluates higher education institutions, programmes and research units. Other bodies have responsibilities for particular qualifications, including the Commission des titres d'ingénieur (CTI) for engineering degrees. The national state authorities retain responsibility for authorizing the award of national degrees. [Hcéres] | National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for institutional accreditation and National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for specified professional and technical programmes. Other statutory and professional regulators oversee applicable institutional and programme requirements. [UGC] [NBA] |
| International Students (Total) | 443,500 foreign students were enrolled in French higher education in 2024/25, under the broad nationality-based measure reported by Campus France. A more recent but narrower measure recorded 352,790 internationally mobile foreign students in 2025/26, defined as students who moved to France specifically for higher education. The two figures are based on different populations and should not be interpreted as a year-on-year enrollment decline. [Campus France] [Interior Ministry] | 58,134 foreign students enrolled in Indian higher education in 2023–24, according to AISHE. This is the national survey count rather than the number of international students admitted in a single academic intake. [AISHE] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | Approximately 15% of tertiary students were foreign nationals in 2024/25, according to Campus France's broad definition. Under the narrower international-mobility measure, foreign students who came to France specifically to study represented 12.3% of higher education enrollment in 2025/26. These indicators should be distinguished when comparing France with other countries. [Campus France] [Interior Ministry] | Approximately 0.13% in 2023–24, calculated from 58,134 foreign students among approximately 45.0 million higher education students reported by AISHE. The percentage is based on the national foreign-student measure, not the OECD's internationally mobile student definition. [AISHE] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | EUR 178 annually for a bachelor's degree (licence) and EUR 255 for a master's degree in 2026/27, under the standard national public registration fee schedule for eligible French, EU, EEA and Swiss students. The standard doctoral fee is EUR 398. Engineering programmes generally cost EUR 630 at institutions covered by the national engineering fee category, while specified engineering schools charge EUR 2,620. A separate EUR 105 student and campus life contribution (CVEC) normally applies unless the student qualifies for an exemption. [Service Public] | No uniform national tuition rate. Fees depend on the institution, degree and student category. For example, IIT Delhi's 2026 undergraduate tuition is INR 100,000 per semester, equivalent to INR 200,000 annually for standard B.Tech., B.Des. and B.S. programmes before applicable exemptions. Students from SC/ST categories and students with disabilities are eligible for specified tuition exemptions, with income-based concessions available to other eligible students. Admission, hostel and other institutional charges are separate. [IIT Delhi] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | EUR 2,902 annually for a bachelor's degree and EUR 3,950 for a master's degree in 2026/27 under the differentiated registration fee schedule applicable to many non-EU international students at covered public institutions. Doctoral students are generally subject to the standard EUR 398 registration fee instead. Exemptions, institutional waivers and nationality or residence-based exceptions apply, so not every non-EU student pays the differentiated rate. The CVEC may be payable separately. [Campus France] | No nationwide international tuition rate. Institutions set fees under their own regulations, with some publishing international fees in foreign currencies. At IIT Delhi, the 2026 undergraduate tuition for foreign nationals is USD 1,000 per semester for SAARC-country students and USD 2,000 per semester for students from other countries. Foreign postgraduate and doctoral students are charged the applicable Indian-student tuition rates under the published prospectus. Japan-style or EU/non-EU tuition categories do not apply nationally in India. [IIT Delhi] |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | No separate national fee based solely on the teaching language. At public institutions applying the standard national schedule, eligible EU and comparable-status students generally pay EUR 178 for bachelor's or EUR 255 for master's programmes in 2026/27. Non-EU students subject to differentiated registration fees generally pay EUR 2,902 or EUR 3,950, respectively. Private business schools, Grandes Écoles and specialized programmes set separate tuition fees, which may be considerably higher. [Campus France] | No separate nationwide English-medium tuition rate. Fees depend on the degree, institution and student category rather than the teaching language alone. For example, standard domestic undergraduate tuition at IIT Delhi is INR 200,000 annually before exemptions, while other public universities and private institutions have different fee schedules. [IIT Delhi] |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | No standardized national monthly rate. French-language courses are priced by provider, intensity, location and duration. As a published example, Alliance Française de Paris lists approximately EUR 730 per month for a 36-hour semi-intensive course and EUR 1,460 per month for a 72-hour intensive course. University-affiliated French as a Foreign Language (FLE) centres may charge by semester instead. These examples are provider prices rather than a national average. [Alliance Française] | No comparable national monthly fee. Hindi, English and regional-language courses are provided by universities, private institutes and specialized language centres. Fees depend on the language, course duration, intensity and provider, and are often quoted by course or term rather than as a standard monthly charge. |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | France | India |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | France operates a centralized education system with national curricula, qualifications and teacher recruitment, while regional and local authorities manage school infrastructure and services. Compulsory instruction runs from age 3 to 16, followed by a separate training obligation until age 18. Primary and secondary education follow a 5+4+3 structure after three years of pre-primary education. In 2025, approximately 86.4% of primary pupils and 78.8% of secondary pupils attended public schools, which provide tuition-free instruction. Vocational lycée programmes accounted for approximately 29.3% of lycée enrollment, excluding separate apprenticeship arrangements. In PISA 2025, France scored 458 in mathematics, 456 in reading and 483 in science; mathematics and reading declined from 2022, while the science change was not statistically clear. Higher education includes more than 3,500 institutions, ranging from universities and Grandes Écoles to engineering, business and specialized schools. The tertiary sector enrolled approximately 3.05 million students in 2025/26, with 25.8% attending private institutions. Campus France recorded 443,500 foreign students in 2024/25, while the narrower internationally mobile student measure reached 352,790 in 2025/26. The IB directory listed 25 IB World Schools. Public university registration fees for eligible domestic and regional students were EUR 178 for bachelor's and EUR 255 for master's programmes in 2026/27, with separate differentiated fees for many non-EU students. Education changes in 2026 included the introduction of bac+3 teacher recruitment, the first early mathematics baccalauréat examination and revised mathematics programmes in seconde and première. | India operates a mixed federal education system in which education is a Concurrent List subject shared by the Union and States/UTs. The Ministry of Education sets national policy and administers central schemes, while States and UTs manage much of school provision. Free and compulsory elementary education covers ages 6–14 under the Right to Education Act. NEP 2020 organizes schooling around a 5+3+3+4 pedagogical structure spanning ages 3–18. In UDISE+ 2025–26, India recorded approximately 24.72 crore students across 14.67 lakh schools, with more than 1.02 crore teachers. Among Classes I–XII students, 49.7% attended government-managed schools, 10.5% attended government-aided schools and 38.0% attended recognized private unaided schools. The International Baccalaureate directory listed 277 IB World Schools. India's PISA participation was limited to the subnational PISA 2009+ assessment in Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh; no national PISA 2018, 2022 or 2025 results are available. AISHE 2023–24 recorded 64,756 registered higher education institutions, including 1,289 universities/university-level institutions, 48,246 colleges and 15,221 stand-alone institutions. Higher education enrollment reached approximately 45 million students, including 58,134 foreign students. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, India had 52 ranked institutions, led by IIT Delhi at #118. Recent changes include the introduction of two CBSE Class X board examination opportunities in 2026, mandatory Kaushal Bodh in Classes VI–VIII, Computational Thinking and Artificial Intelligence in Classes III–VIII, and expanded access to academic journals through One Nation One Subscription. [MoE] |