Rural India Devotes More Time on Education Than Urban Areas: Report

People in rural India spent more time on learning activities in 2024 compared to their urban counterparts, according to the latest Time Use Survey (TUS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). However, the overall time spent on learning has declined across both rural and urban areas since 2019.

The survey found that urban residents spent an average of 87 minutes per day on learning activities in 2024, down from 95 minutes in 2019. In rural areas, the figure was 90 minutes, a slight drop from 92 minutes in 2019. Learning activities include school or university attendance, extracurricular activities, homework, and travel related to education.

A gender-based analysis revealed that while women's average time spent on learning remained steady at 84 minutes, men's learning time dropped from 102 minutes in 2019 to 94 minutes in 2024, narrowing the gender gap.

TUS 2024 collected data from individuals aged six and above, tracking their daily activities in 30-minute intervals. The study also noted a rise in time spent on employment and related activities. In urban areas, people spent an average of 199 minutes daily on work in 2024, up from 188 minutes in 2019. In rural areas, the number increased from 153 minutes to 171 minutes over the same period.

MoSPI conducted the first nationwide TUS in 2019 and carried out the second survey in 2024 after a four-year gap. India is among a handful of countries, including the US, China, Japan, and Australia, that conduct national TUS studies to analyze how people allocate their time to various activities. The ministry stated that the primary objective of the survey is to measure men's and women's participation in both paid and unpaid activities.

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