IGNOU Distance Education Admissions 2024, Fee Structure, Eligibility

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About the Institute

Indira Gandhi National Open University, or IGNOU, was established in 1985 with the ambition of providing easily accessible distance learning (a mode of study that does not demand the physical presence of a student on-site) to all classes of society.

In its initial years, it offered just two courses i.e Diploma in Distance Education and Diploma in Management. In the year 1987, its student strength was 4,528.

Today the university caters the educational needs of over 30 Lakh students (India and abroad) enrolled in its 21 School of studies. Programs are offered at a highly affordable rate and may be completed from the comfort of home (made possible by technology) or a convenient study center at a flexible pace. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate, certificate, diploma and doctorate programs across various disciplines.As far as yearly intake and enrollment is concerned, IGNOU is one of the largest universities worldwide.

Quantitative Highlights

Schools of Studies 21
Regional Centers 67
Support Centers 2,667
Courses Offered 228
Faculty Members 810
Academic Councellors 33,212
Overseas Partner Institutes 29

*The above data is as per the official website of the University.

Admission and Application Procedure

Applications for all courses part of IGNOU are accepted online only. Candidates are requested to go through the 2017-18 prospectus for a better understanding of various rules and guidelines. Check out the prospectus here.

A brief description of the steps involved in the application procedure is given below and explained in-depth in the latter part of the article:

  • Registering oneself on the admissions portal by clicking on the relevant link provided near the top-right portion of the webpage.
  • Keeping in mind the username and password created during the online registration, log into the website using these credentials (which must be remembered throughout).
  • After a successful login, start filling the online form (which requires the applicant’s personal details, academic qualifications, the rogram being applied for, etc.). Prior to opening the form, it is preferable if the candidate ensures that the following softcopies are kept ready for upload:
      • Applicant’s photograph
      • Applicant’s signature
      • Age Proof
      • Educational qualification certificates (10th marksheet, 12th marksheet, etc.)
      • Degree certificates (if applicable)
      • Scanned copy of Experience Certificate (if applicable)
      • Scanned copy of Category Certificate (if applicable)
      • Scanned copy of BPL (Below Poverty Line) Certificate (if applicable)
  • After the form has been filled, the candidate needs to pay the course fee either using credit card/debit card or net banking (an application fee of Rs. 200 is embedded into the payment). There is no offline mode for depositing the fee.
  • After confirmation of the fees, further instructions will be intimated to the applicant well within a reasonable time period. The completed form can be downloaded from the website of the university.

If one wishes to take back the application after going through steps mentioned above, the program fee will not be refunded under any circumstances.

A change of program choice comes with minor cost penalties, and so utmost attention is required while filling the form.

Applications for this year’s programs are open and the last day to complete the online procedure is 31st January, 2018.

For enrollment into an M.Phil/Ph.D degree, prospective candidates are required to write an entrance test. A separate online form for the same can be filled out here. A registration fee of Rs. 1000 is applicable to the examination, following which an interview round is held for qualifiers.

Applicants are only allowed to secure admissions into various management courses of IGNOU through an entrance test named OPENMAT (held twice a year – OPENMAT XLII, and OPENMAT XLIII).

Any one of the following minimum criteria needs to be satisfied in order to write the test:
– Bachelor’s degree in any discipline with at least 50% marks (reduced to 45% for reserved category)and a minimum of 3 years ofmanagerial/supervisory/professional experience.
– A degree in Engineering/Medicine/Chartered Accountancy (ICAI)/Cost Accountancy (Cost and Works Accountancy) (ICAI/ICWAI)/Company Secretaryship (ICSI)/Lawwith more than 50% marks.
The application form for the test is available in this link and must be downloaded, printed, and filled with a black ball-point pen. The submission of the form, payment of the exam fee, and issuance of admit card has to be done offline.

Scholarships

IGNOU grants scholarships and monetary aid for students fairing from reserved categories (SC/ST) and financially weak backgrounds. Differently-abled applicants are also given funding in order to help them get through their postgraduate study.

As per the last update, the University is offering IGNOU Research Fellowship for students of M.Phil and PHD programmes studying in IGNOU. The scholarship is offered under two categories-

  • SavitriBaiPhuleFellowship for Female Scholars
  • Dr B.R Ambedkar Fellowship for Male Scholars

For detailed information please check out- http://www.ignou.ac.in/ignou/aboutignou/icc/ru/scholarship.

Eligibility Criteria

Age is no hurdle in taking admissions into most of the programs offered by IGNOU. In general, the eligibility requirement for entering a Bachelor’s level course is to have passed Class 10th and Class 12th or an equivalent certification.

The Master’s level programs and PG Diplomas demand a Bachelor’s degree of at least a 3-year period from an approved institution. For an ordinary Diploma, the candidate must have passed 10 +2 (or its equivalent) from a recognized board.

Since IGNOU allows students to complete their coursework with sufficient flexibility, each program has both a minimum and maximum duration. A PG Diploma and Diploma must be concluded in a minimum duration of 1 year and a maximum of 4 years. The Master’s courses have a timeline of anywhere between 2 years and 6 years, while a Bachelor’s normally goes on for about 3 years and extendable upto a maximum of 6 years.

Specialization/Courses Offered

All-in-all, 21 schools are grouped under IGNOU. Check out our other articles to find detailed information on Course-specific eligibility and fee structure.

School of Humanities

The courses that belong to this department mainly concern the subjectofhumanities and include Arts, Book Publishing, and English literature, Hindi, Sanskrit & eleven other widely-spoken Indian languages.

Below is a list of top programmes under this school-

  • Ph.D
  • M.A (Master of Arts)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Book Publishing (PGDBP)
  • several more Bachelor’s, Diploma, and Certificate

The user can look up the fee structure and additional details by clicking on the program links. A minimum age of 20 years is necessary for the candidate to undertake a Diploma in Creative Writing in English (DCE). No age barrier exists for the other programs.

School of Social Sciences

The School of Social Sciences conducts programs that are assigned the following topics: Anthropology, Economics, History, Library & Information Science, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, and Sociology, Gandhi & Peace Studies.All the 8 PhD-level, 9 Master’s-level, 4 PG-Diploma, 3 Bachelor’s-level, 5 M.Phil.

School of Sciences

PhDs, postgraduate & undergraduate level courses, diplomas, and various certifications promote skill development in the areas of statistics, geography, chemistry, geo-informatics, computer science, laboratory techniques, environmental studies, sustainable development, and teaching of primary school mathematics.

School of Education

SOE aims to impart students with professional growth in promising educational practices. No less than 18 courses make up one of the oldest schools of IGNOU, and each one is listed here. More information can be found by clicking on each course’s link.

School of Continuing Education

The primary subjects grouped under this department are as follows:

  • Rural Development
  • Nutritional Sciences
  • Child Development
  • Home Science

The school offers 13 programs in the above fields.

School of Engineering & Technology

The courses mainly deal in various engineering disciplines, such asMechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Power Distribution, Energy Technology &Management, and Motor Cycle Service and Repair. Except for applicant’s enrolling for the Certificate in Motor Cycle Service and Repair (CMSR), there is no age criterion that needs to be met by prospective candidates.

School of Management Studies

As discussed earlier, candidates can only participate in the courses part of this school after clearing OPENMAT. Various programs from the world of management studies constitute this school. Visit the website for more details on each.

School of Health Sciences

Familiarizes students with nursing, health care waste management, dialysis medicine, HIV medicine, geriatric medicine, and other aspects of health studies through 13 dedicated programs, all of which can be browsed in detail here.

School of Computer & Information Sciences

Consistsof a total of four programs under the umbrella of computer science technologies:

  • Doctor of Philosophy Computer Science (PHDCS)
  • Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
  • Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)
  • Certificate in Information Technology (CIT)

School of Agriculture

About 20 different courses are listed under the School of Agriculture, few of those are listed below-

  • Diploma in Dairy Technology
  • Diploma in Watershed Management
  • Diploma in Meat Technology
  • Certificate in Sericulture
  • Certificate in Poultry Farming
  • Certificate in Organic Farming
  • Ph.D in Dairy Science and Technology
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Plantation Management

School of Law

The 11 programs offered by the School of Law are taught through a virtual classroom – a format that was introduced in mid-2008 as part of ‘VIRTUAL EDUCATION IN LAW (VEL)’.

Below if a list of top courses offered by this school-

  • Diploma in Paralegal Practice
  • Certificate in Human Rights
  • Certificate in Consumer Protection
  • Certificate in Anti- HumanTrafficking
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Law

School of Journalism and New Media Studies

Aspirants may choose from three programs on journalism, mass communication, audio programme production, and community radio:

  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication (PGJMC)
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Audio Programme Production (PGDAPP)
  • Certificate in Community Radio (CCR)

School of Gender & Development Studies

Four extensive learning programs are embedded into the curriculum of the School of Gender & Development Studies:

    • MA in Gender and Development Studies (MAGD)
    • Master of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies (MAWGS)
    • Post Graduate Diploma in Women’s & Gender Studies (PGDWGS)
    • Diploma in Women’s Empowerment and Development (DWED)

School of Tourism and Hospitality Service Management

It offers well reputed 7 programs with an enrollment of over 20,000 students.

Few Courses offered by this school are-

  • Bachelor of Art (Tourism Studies)
  • B.Sc (Hospital and Hotel Administration)
  • Diploma in Tourism Studies
  • Certificate in Tourism Studies

School of Interdisciplinary & Trans-disciplinary Studies

The primary objective of the School of Interdisciplinary & Trans-disciplinary Studies is to train students in the following subjects to the point of achieving working proficiency in any one of these domains.

  • Labor Studies
  • Diaspora Studies
  • Diversity & Inclusivity Studies
  • Marginalized Communities & Communities at Risk
  • Sustainability Studies & Food Security

School of Social Work

The School of Social Work holds quite a few recognitions since its establishment in 2007 and keeps around 9 courses for candidates to pick from.

  • Bachelor of Social Work
  • Diploma in HIV and Family Education
  • Master of Philosophy in Social Work
  • Master of Social Work
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work

School of Vocational Education and Training

This department has been entrusted with quality education in the field of occupational studies. 6 programs have been designed for this purpose.

  • Diploma in BPO Financing and Networking
  • Advanced Certificate in Information Security
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sales Management
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Vocational Education

School of Extension & Development Studies

The topics being covered under this department include development studies, urban studies, and extension education.6 courses are being offered in relevant disciplines.

  • Certificate Program in Value Education
  • Master of Arts in Extension and Development Studies
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Urban Planning and Develpoment

School of Foreign Languages

As of now, 4 non-native languages are taught at this school – Arabic, French, German and Russian. Candidates can pursue courses of different levels in any of the mentioned languages.

  • Diploma in Teaching German
  • Certificate in Russian Language
  • Certificate in French Language
  • Ph.D in Arabic Language

School of Translation Studies and Training

5 distinct courses offered by this school enhance the skills essential for professional translations of native languages, particularly Bangla-Hindi and Malayalam-Hindi conversions.

  • MA in Translation Studies
  • PD Diploma in Translation
  • Master of Philosophy in Translation Studies

School of Performing & Visual Arts

9 programs in multiple disciplines may be taken up by applicants, few of them are listed below.

  • Certificate in Indigenous Art Practices
  • Certificate in Visual Arts- Painting
  • Certificate in Visual Arts- Applied Arts
  • Master of Philosophy in Theatre Arts

Approval

Indira Gandhi National Open University officially holds the title of a central university given by the University Grants Commission of India (UGC), which is the primary supervising body responsible for overlooking all higher educational practices and ensuring that the minimum standards are being followed. Also, the MBA and MCA programs of IGNOU are AICTE-approved.

Ranking

  • IGNOU is proudlyplaced 3rd in the list of India’s best distance learning institutes for pursuing MBA/PGDM, according to a recent survey.
  • As far as the overall score is concerned (taking into account several factors like learning experience, resources, intake, outreach, etc.), Careers360 puts it at the very top of its latest ranking.
  • Yahoo India, has ranked it “The Best University for Distance Education”.
  • It was ranked 17th among top 100 Universities of the world.

Last Date (Important Dates)

For 2018 – 2019 admissions, the important dates for admissions are as follows:

  • For the M.Phil and Ph.D intake:
    • Applications end on 31st July, 2017
    • Entrance test held on 20th August, 2017
  • For business programs:
    • Applications for OPENMAT XLIII end on 15th December, 2017
    • Date of the exam: 4th February, 2018
  • For B.Ed. & B.Sc.:
    • Applications end in August 2018.

Contact Details

Contact information for the various divisions, staff, and authorities that belong to IGNOU can be found below-

  • For Admission Process

Address-

The Registrar

Student Registration Division

MaidanGarhi, New Delhi- 110068, India

Phone- 011-29532741

Fax No- 011- 29532686

Email- registrarsrd@ignou.ac.in

 

  • Student Service Centre (SSC)

Address-

Student Service Centre

Opposite PNB Bank

Indira Gandhi National Open University

MaidanGarhi

Phone No- +91-011-29572513, 29572514

Email- ssc@ignou.ac.in

 

Placements

Placement activities are facilitated by the Campus Placement Cell (CPC), which holds a wealth of recruitment drives (both on-campus and off-campus) and skill development sessions that prepare enrolled students for the upcoming job opportunities. Interested candidates must fill up a registration form in order to sign up for placements.

Contact Us-

  • Ms Saswati Bhattacharya, Assistant Registrar

Office Address-

School of Humanities

Indira Gandhi National Open University

MaidanGarhi, New Delhi- 110068, India

  • Campus Placement Cell

Address-

Campus Placement Cell

Room No- 18, Block-13,

IGNOU

MaidanGarhi, New Delhi- 110068, India.

Phone No- +91-011-29536867

Email- campusplacement@ignou.ac.in

Study Centers

IGNOU owns well over 2600 study centers spread across India. A detailed list with the respective contact details are provided in this link.

Study centres spread across 57 across cities which are listed below-

Agartala Hyderabad Pune
Ahmedabad Iphal Raghunathganj
Aizawal Itanagar Raipur
Aligarh Jabalpur Rajkot
Bangalore Jammu Ranchi
Bhagalpur Jodhpur Saharsa
Bhubaneshwar Johrat Shilling
Bhopal Karnal Shimla
Bijapur Khanna Siliguri
Chandigarh Kohima Srinagar
Chennai Kolkata Trivandrum
Cochin Koraput Varanasi
Darbhanga Lucknow Vatakara
Dehradun Madurai Vijayawada
Delhi-1 Mumbai Visakhapatnam
Delhi-2 Nagpur
Delhi-3 Noida
Deoghar Panaji
Gangtok Patna
Guwahati Port Blair

 

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