The scorecard concludes that, on average, countries are "moving away" from the public education expenditure benchmarks of at least 4% of GDP or 15% of total public expenditure.

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.

Manash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportageâboth reflective and news-drivenâadds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.