Statsguru: How literate are Indian legislators? Here's what data reveals

Of the six states with the highest number of MLAs, in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, formed in 2022, more than 75 per cent members are at least graduates - 34.24 per cent postgraduates

A recent Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report gave a glimpse of the socioeconomic profile of sitting members of legislative Assemblies (MLAs) of 28 states and three Union Territories. The report mentioned education profile, gender-wise distribution and age patterns of all sitting MLAs in the country.

 

It analysed 4,092 sitting MLAs and found that roughly 33 per cent of them were non-graduates. While five MLAs are illiterate, 31.72 per cent of all MLAs have education between Class 5 and 12. Around 66 per cent are either graduates or postgraduates, some even having doctorates (Chart 1). 

 

Of the six states