This page compares the education systems of Indonesia and India.
Education System Overview
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Mixed public/private system with decentralized school delivery. National ministries establish curriculum, standards and policy, while provincial and district governments manage much of public-school provision. Religious and private providers operate alongside the state sector. | Public/private mix; mixed governance. Education is on the Constitution's Concurrent List, with responsibilities shared by the Union and States/UTs. [MoE] |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) for general school education; Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) for the madrasah system; and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) for higher education. | Ministry of Education, primarily through the Department of School Education & Literacy and the Department of Higher Education, together with State/UT education departments and statutory regulators. [MoE] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 1.3% of GDP in 2023, the latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS series. [World Bank] | 4.1% of GDP (2022). [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | The established statutory basic-education requirement covers approximately ages 7–15. National policy is expanding access toward 13 years of education, including one preschool year and education through senior secondary level. [Kemendikdasmen] | Ages 6–14. Article 21A of the Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act establish the legal entitlement for this age group. [India Code] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 9 years under the established statutory basic-education requirement. The government's 13-year education policy extends the policy target to one year of preschool, six years of primary, three years of junior secondary and three years of senior secondary education. [Kemendikdasmen] | 8 years of elementary education, corresponding to the statutory 6–14 age range. [India Code] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | ECE remains outside the established nine-year statutory requirement, while the 13-year policy prioritizes one preschool year before primary school. Gross PAUD participation was approximately 36.2% in 2025; this indicator covers the broader PAUD population rather than only children aged 3–5. | Not compulsory nationally. Pre-school provision includes Anganwadi centers, government-school pre-primary sections, Balvatika, private preschools and other models; NEP 2020 incorporates three pre-school years into the Foundational Stage. [Samagra Shiksha] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 6 + 3 + 3: six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education and three years of general or vocational senior secondary education. Some vocational programs operate for four years. | 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 pedagogic structure under NEP 2020: Foundational Stage, including three years of pre-school plus Grades 1–2; Preparatory Grades 3–5; Middle Grades 6–8; Secondary Grades 9–12. [MoE] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | Approximately 33.5% vocational / 66.5% general, based on 2024/25 upper-secondary enrollment across vocational and general/religious pathways. | — |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | July, with exact dates set through provincial and local education calendars. | — |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | June, with regional variation. | — |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | Approximately 36 effective instructional weeks; the exact requirement varies by school level, regional calendar and program. | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | — | 200 minimum working days for Classes I–V and 220 minimum working days for Classes VI–VIII under the RTE schedule; no single statutory nationwide figure covers all Grades IX–XII. [India Code] |
Grading System
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | No single mandatory national A–F or fixed numerical passing scale. Schools use learning-achievement criteria, including KKTP, with numerical results, descriptors, rubrics and competency evidence used according to school and subject assessment arrangements. | No single national grading scale; marks, grades and reporting rules vary among State/UT boards, CBSE, CISCE and other recognized boards. |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Institution-specific. A 4.00 GPA scale with letter grades is widely used; individual universities determine grade boundaries and intermediate grades. | No single national scale; institutions use institution-specific percentage, letter-grade and/or CGPA systems under their academic regulations. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Bahasa Indonesia is the principal national language of instruction. Regional languages may support instruction in early education where appropriate. | State and regional languages, Hindi and English are widely used; the instructional medium varies by State/UT, school board and institution. NEP 2020 promotes instruction in the home, mother-tongue, local or regional language in the earlier grades where practicable. [MoE] |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | Regional and local languages may be used as supporting instructional languages. English is primarily taught as a foreign language and is scheduled to become a compulsory primary-school subject from the 2027/28 academic year. [Kemendikdasmen] | Regional and minority-language media vary by State/UT; no single nationwide list of K–12 instructional media applies. [MoE] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 66.5% across primary through senior-secondary education in 2024/25, based on official enrollment totals by school status. Public-school shares differ considerably by education level. | 49.7% of Grades I–XII students were enrolled in government-managed schools in 2025–26; government-aided schools accounted for another 10.5%. [UDISE+] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 tuition for compulsory basic education in government schools. Families may still face permitted ancillary costs or locally administered charges outside standard tuition. | $0 for RTE-covered elementary education for ages 6–14. Fees and charges beyond the RTE-covered stage vary by State/UT and government school system. [India Code] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Public primary and secondary schools operate across Indonesia's provinces and districts, complemented by the public religious-school network. | Yes; government-managed schools operate across India's States and Union Territories. UDISE+ recorded about 1.005 million government schools in 2025–26. [UDISE+] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 33.5% across primary through senior-secondary education in 2024/25, based on official student totals by school status. | 38.0% of Grades I–XII students were enrolled in recognized private unaided schools in 2025–26. [UDISE+] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Nationwide, with substantial private, foundation and religious-school provision in densely populated and urban areas. | — |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | — | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 81 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in Indonesia. [IB] | 279 schools in the current IB school directory filtered for India. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International, British, American, Australian, Singaporean and other school-specific international or bilingual curricula. | IB Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme; Cambridge International pathways are also offered by hundreds of schools in India. [IB] [Cambridge] |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | A minimum academic qualification of S-1 bachelor's degree or D-IV applied bachelor's level is the national professional benchmark, alongside teacher-certification requirements for eligible professional teachers. | Stage-appropriate NCTE-recognized academic and teacher-education qualifications are required, together with applicable Teacher Eligibility Test and recruitment requirements for the relevant post and appointing authority. [NCTE] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | Approximately 21 students per class group in the latest nationally published comparable primary dataset. | — |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | Approximately 28 students per class group in the latest nationally published junior-secondary dataset. | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | Approximately 30 students overall as an indicative upper-secondary figure; general senior-secondary classes average about 32 students while vocational classes are closer to 27. | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. Indonesia's first assessment was conducted in 2001 through the PISA 2000 Plus administration. [OECD] | 2009+ (Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh only). [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 379 / 371 / 396. | — |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 366 / 359 / 383. [OECD] | — |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 364 / 365 / 389. [Kemendikdasmen] | — |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Indonesia's raw scores changed from 366 / 359 / 383 in 2022 to 364 / 365 / 389 in 2025 for mathematics, reading and science respectively. OECD analysis finds the 2022–2025 changes statistically about the same in all three subjects. Results in 2025 remained below Indonesia's 2015 performance. [OECD] | — |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science — 389 points. [Kemendikdasmen] | — |
Higher Education System
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 4,303 institutions in the 2025 national higher-education statistics. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 64,756 registered institutions in AISHE 2023–24: 1,289 universities/university-level institutions, 48,246 colleges and 15,221 stand-alone institutions. [AISHE] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 981 institutions classified as Universitas. Indonesia does not publish a separate statutory category specifically named “research universities.” [Kemdiktisaintek] | — |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | The 2025 statistics record 2,885 college/applied institution types: 2,000 Sekolah Tinggi, 389 polytechnics, 465 academies and 31 community academies. Indonesia does not use a single “university of applied sciences” category. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 48,246 colleges registered in AISHE 2023–24; India does not use a nationally standardized “university of applied sciences” institutional category equivalent to systems that formally designate that sector. [AISHE] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities, institutes, Sekolah Tinggi, polytechnics, academies and community academies. [Kemdiktisaintek] | Universities and university-level institutions; colleges; and stand-alone institutions, including polytechnics and specialized professional institutions. [AISHE] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Public/government-managed: approximately 50.3% | private-managed: approximately 49.7% of registered students in 2025. The official breakdown is 40.99% PTN, 7.17% public religious institutions and 2.18% government-service institutions versus 44.95% PTS and 4.71% private religious institutions. [Kemdiktisaintek] | — |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | — | — |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | QS World University Rankings 2027. India has 52 institutions represented in this edition. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 0 Indonesian universities in the global top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 0 in QS World University Rankings 2027; India's highest-ranked institution, IIT Delhi, is #118. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 7 Indonesian universities in the global top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2027; Universitas Padjadjaran entered the top 500 at #496. [QS] | 11 in QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 12 Indonesian universities in the global top 1000 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 37 in QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | BAN-PT (National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education), complemented by discipline-specific Independent Accreditation Agencies (LAM). Accreditation processes continued their transition to the SAPTO 2.0 system during 2026. [BAN-PT] | National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for institutional accreditation and National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for specified professional and technical programs. [UGC] [NBA] |
| International Students (Total) | 8,050 foreign students were studying in Indonesian higher education institutions at the end of 2025. [Kemdiktisaintek] | 58,134 foreign students in higher education in 2023–24. [AISHE] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | Approximately 0.07%, based on 8,050 foreign students and 10,754,154 registered tertiary students in 2025. [Kemdiktisaintek] | — |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | A representative 2026/27 regular undergraduate UKT range at Universitas Indonesia is approximately $57–$1,590 per year, converted from IDR 500,000–14,000,000 per semester. Fees vary by institution, program and assigned contribution tier, and some programs charge more. [Universitas Indonesia] | — |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | Indicative foreign-student bachelor's tuition at Universitas Gadjah Mada is approximately $2,840–$5,280 per year, converted from IDR 25–46.5 million per semester. One-time institutional development fees are additional and vary by program. [UGM] | — |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | Indicative public-university international or English-medium programs are approximately $1,760–$5,280 per year in current ITB postgraduate and UGM international undergraduate examples, excluding one-time charges and partner-university costs. [ITB] | — |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | Approximately $200–$225 per month equivalent for UGM's 2026 INCULS regular Indonesian-language program, based on IDR 13,692,300 for a 15–17 week semester. [UGM] | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Indonesia | 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 | Indonesia | India |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Indonesia has a large public/private education system in which national ministries set curriculum and standards while provincial and district authorities manage much of school delivery. The standard structure consists of six years of primary, three years of junior secondary and three years of senior secondary education, with both general and vocational pathways. The statutory basic-education requirement remains nine years, while national policy is expanding access toward a 13-year model that includes one preschool year and education through senior secondary level. Public schools educate about two-thirds of primary and secondary students, alongside a large private and religious-school sector. Bahasa Indonesia is the main language of instruction. In PISA 2025, Indonesia scored 364 in mathematics, 365 in reading and 389 in science; OECD found no statistically clear change from 2022 in the three subjects. Higher education included 4,303 institutions and 10.75 million registered students in 2025. Current changes include deeper-learning approaches, optional Coding and AI subjects, TKA implementation and continued expansion of the 13-year education policy. | 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/UTs manage much of school provision. Free and compulsory elementary education is a legal right from ages 6 to 14. [India Code] NEP 2020 organizes schooling around a 5+3+3+4 pedagogic structure spanning ages 3–18, with general, vocational and open-school pathways. In UDISE+ 2025–26 data for Grades I–XII, government-managed schools enrolled 49.7% of students, government-aided schools 10.5% and recognized private unaided schools 38.0%. [UDISE+] India's OECD PISA participation is limited to PISA 2009+ in Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh, so no recent national PISA result is available. [OECD] AISHE 2023–24 recorded 1,289 universities/university-level institutions, 48,246 colleges and 15,221 stand-alone institutions. [AISHE] Current changes include One Nation One Subscription from 2025 and new CBSE skill and computing/AI curriculum requirements beginning in 2026–27. |