Educational Backgrounds of 18th Lok Sabha MPs Unveiled

Examining the educational qualifications of winning candidates, it was revealed that a significant number of MPs declared having higher education degrees, with agriculture and social work being the most common professions. The data highlights a rising trend among MPs, from various states, reporting higher educational qualifications in the 18th Lok Sabha.

In a detailed analysis by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), it was found that about 19% of winning candidates in the 18th Lok Sabha election declared their educational qualification to be between class 5 pass and 12, while 77% of them held a graduate degree or above. Notably, among the 8,390 candidates, not a single illiterate candidate secured a win.

While two winning candidates had an education of up to class 5, and four said they completed class 8, more significant numbers were seen at higher educational levels. A total of 34 candidates completed up to class 10, and 65 up to class 12. The data further shows a rising trend in higher educational qualifications among MPs, with 5% holding doctoral degrees.

According to another analysis by PRS Legislative Research, agriculture and social work are the most common professions among the 543 MPs. Notably, 91% of MPs from Chhattisgarh, 72% from Madhya Pradesh, and 65% from Gujarat indicated agriculture as one of their professions. Additionally, the analysis highlighted that 7% of MPs are lawyers and 4% are medical practitioners.