Medical doctors per 1,000 people in India
India: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 0.723 per 1,000 people in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in India, 1960–2020
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
India recorded 0.723 per 1,000 people for medical doctors per 1,000 people in 2020.
That represents a change of down 18.7% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in India peaked at 1.23 per 1,000 people in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.204 per 1,000 people, in 1975.
That places India 131st out of 194 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in India, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.21 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.205 per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 0.205 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.204 per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 0.371 per 1,000 people | +81.9% |
| 1981 | 0.27 per 1,000 people | -27.2% |
| 1984 | 0.396 per 1,000 people | +46.7% |
| 1988 | 0.407 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 1.23 per 1,000 people | +202.5% |
| 2014 | 0.715 per 1,000 people | -41.9% |
| 2015 | 0.723 per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.748 per 1,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 0.766 per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 0.84 per 1,000 people | +9.7% |
| 2019 | 0.889 per 1,000 people | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 0.723 per 1,000 people | -18.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 0.723 per 1,000 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3555 per 1,000 people, 2.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 0.723 per 1,000 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 0.867 per 1,000 people, 83% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +202.5% | 0.407 per 1,000 people | 1.23 per 1,000 people |
| 1980 | +81.9% | 0.204 per 1,000 people | 0.371 per 1,000 people |
| 1984 | +46.7% | 0.27 per 1,000 people | 0.396 per 1,000 people |
| 2014 | -41.9% | 1.23 per 1,000 people | 0.715 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2075 per 1,000 people | 0.205 per 1,000 people | 0.21 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.2045 per 1,000 people | 0.204 per 1,000 people | 0.205 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.361 per 1,000 people | 0.27 per 1,000 people | 0.407 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 1990s | 1.23 per 1,000 people | 1.23 per 1,000 people | 1.23 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.7802 per 1,000 people | 0.715 per 1,000 people | 0.889 per 1,000 people | 6 |
| 2020s | 0.723 per 1,000 people | 0.723 per 1,000 people | 0.723 per 1,000 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near India
More health data for India
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.12 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4372 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,332 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 44,822 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.3809 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0372 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5922 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people in India?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in India was 0.723 per 1,000 people in 2020, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 1.23 per 1,000 people in 1991.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.204 per 1,000 people in 1975.
- How does India rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- India ranks 131st out of 194 countries with data for 2020.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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