In a significant milestone for India’s democratic landscape, the newly-elected 18th Lok Sabha has no illiterate MPs, marking a departure from previous trends where candidates with no formal education were elected.
According to the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), all 121 candidates who declared themselves illiterate were unsuccessful in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Educational Profile Of 18th Lok Sabha
Out of the newly-elected 543 MPs, an overwhelming majority are highly-educated, with only one MP self-identifying as literate. The rest of the elected representatives have various degrees of education, showcasing a spectrum of qualifications from primary school to higher studies.
The ADR report indicates that about 105, or 19 per cent, of the winning candidates declared their educational qualification to be between Class 5th pass and Class 12th. This segment represents a substantial portion of the elected officials, indicating the electorate’s preference for candidates with a minimum level of education.
Party-Wise Analysis Of Educational Qualifications
The educational profile of the newly elected MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha reveals some interesting insights. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which secured the highest number of seats at 240, also boasts a significant proportion of 64 graduates and 49 postgraduates among its ranks.
The Congress, with 99 seats, follows a similar trend with a substantial number of highly educated MPs with 24 graduates, 27 post graduates, and 21 MPs who have a professional graduation degree.
A Janata Dal (United) MP stands out as the only literate parliamentarian, marking the least educational qualification in the new Lok Sabha.
When breaking down the educational qualifications, 105 MPs have education levels ranging from class 5 to 12th grade. BJP dominates the list with 40 MPs falling under the category of class 5 to 12th pass, Congress stands second with 19 MPs.
It is also worth mentioning none of the MPs of the grand old party have educational qualifications below class 10th pass. This group also includes members from various parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) with 6 MPs and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) with 4 MPs.
For higher education, 147 MPs hold graduate degrees, and another 147 have postgraduate qualifications. The BJP and INC dominate these categories, reflecting a strong presence of well-educated individuals. Additionally, there are 98 MPs with graduate professional and diploma qualifications, further emphasizing the educational diversity within the Parliament.
MPs Who Attended College Have Increased
The proportion of MPs who have completed undergraduate education increased steadily from the 1st Lok Sabha till the 11th (1996-98).
Since then, the proportion of MPs who have not attended college has increased. However, this figure has decreased from 27 per cent in the 17th Lok Sabha to 22 per cent in the 18th Lok Sabha. 78 per cent of MPs of the 18th Lok Sabha have completed at least undergraduate education.
This proportion is the same for newly-elected women MPs. 5 per cent of MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha have a doctoral degree, including three women MPs
All 121 candidates who declared themselves illiterate were unsuccessful in the elections