Religions in India

Religion in India (2011 Census)

  Hinduism (79.8%)

  Islam (14.2%)

  Christianity (2.3%)

  Sikhism (1.7%)

  Buddhism (0.7%)

  Jainism (0.4%)

  Other religions (0.7%)

  Religion not stated (0.2%)

Statistics

There are six religions in India which have been awarded "National minority" status—Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Zoroastrians.

Population trends for major religious groups in India (1951–2011)

Religious

group Population

% 1951 Population

% 1961 Population

% 1971 Population

% 1981 Population

% 1991 Population

% 2001 Population

% 2011[58]

Hinduism 84.1% 83.45% 82.73% 82.30% 81.53% 80.46% 79.80%

Islam 9.8% 10.69% 11.21% 11.75% 12.61% 13.43% 14.23%

Christianity 2.30% 2.44% 2.60% 2.44% 2.32% 2.34% 2.30%

Sikhism 1.79% 1.79% 1.89% 1.92% 1.94% 1.87% 1.72%

Buddhism 0.74% 0.74% 0.70% 0.70% 0.77% 0.77% 0.70%

Jainism 0.46% 0.46% 0.48% 0.47% 0.40% 0.41% 0.37%

Zoroastrianism 0.13% 0.09% 0.09% 0.09% 0.08% 0.06% not counted

Others/Religion not specified 0.43% 0.43% 0.41% 0.42% 0.44% 0.72% 0.9%

The following is a breakdown of India's religious communities:

Characteristics of religious groups

Religious

group Population (2011)

% Growth

(2001-2011)[59][60] Sex ratio (2011)

(total)[61] Sex ratio (2011)

(rural) Sex ratio (2011)

(urban) Sex ratio (2011)

(child)[62] Literacy (2011)

(%)[63] Work participation (2011)

(%)[61][64]

Hinduism 79.80% 16.8% 939 946 921 913 73.3% 41.0%

Islam 14.23% 24.6% 951 957 941 943 68.5% 32.6%

Christianity 2.30% 15.5% 1023 1008 1046 958 84.5% 41.9%

Sikhism 1.72% 8.4% 903 905 898 828 75.4% 36.3%

Buddhism 0.70% 6.1% 965 960 973 933 81.3% 43.1%

Jainism 0.37% 5.4% 954 935 959 889 94.9% 35.5%

Others/Religion not specified 0.90% n/a 959 947 975 974 n/a n/a

Note: When compared with 2001, India's population rose by 17.7% in 2011 with an average sex ratio of 943 and literacy rate of 74.4%. The average work participation stood at 39.79%.