List of Open Universities in India 2025: Public/ Private Status, Courses, Fee

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Associate Senior Executive

Updated on Jun 2, 2025 16:36 IST

Here's your guide to the open universities in the country. Check out how these universities are doing their bit to make distance learning more and more accessible. Also, find the links to their websites for more info on this page.

List of Open Universities in India - With life happening without a break, it is not always possible to attend college in person. Traditional classroom education is inaccessible for a large number of people in our country for a variety of reasons. This is when open universities come to our rescue. They allow working professionals, homemakers, farmers, people residing in remote areas, etc., to pursue higher education, upskill and grab new opportunities for career advancement. Open universities offer flexibility and distance learning opportunities in almost every discipline that regular colleges have to offer. They give students greater access since admission requirements are minimal. This, in turn, lets a wide range of people access higher education. In this article, we are going to list open universities in India. We will also take a brief look at the courses and some other facilities they offer. Read further to learn more about open universities in India.

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Table of content

What is an Open University?
List of Open Universities in India
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University
Netaji Subhas Open University
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University
Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University
Nalanda Open University
Uttarakhand Open University
Delhi University School of Open Learning
Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University
Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University
Maharishi Dayanand University
Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University
Karnataka State Open University
Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University
Tamil Nadu Open University
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad
Odisha State Open University
Choosing Your Ideal Open University - Things to Consider
Honourable Mentions
Distance Learning Universities in Major States and Cities

What is an Open University?

An open university offers distance learning programmes. They are flexible, give open access and offer both part-time and full-time courses. Open universities in India cover different levels of education. They offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma/ certificate courses. However, there is help, but the concept of open universities mostly relies on self-directed learning. Students are responsible for their learning and progress in a course. They still have to submit assignments and appear for exams on time. You might have heard of IGNOU, or Indira Gandhi National Open University or IGNOU. Several other open universities in the country hold good reputations. Let’s list them out.

Note - This list is not in priority, popularity, or rank order.

List of Open Universities in India

The various open universities in the country are listed in the table below, along with their locations and ownership status.

Q: What all courses are offered by BAOU?

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University also offers online courses through its Centre for Online Education (COE). BAOU course admissions are merit-based for most of the courses offered at the university. The university has a student network of 3 Lakh students.

Q: Can I pursue 2 courses from IGNOU at the same time?

As per the official brochure released, a student is allowed to pursue two academic programmes simultaneously through ODL / Online mode, as per the illustration given below.

Course	Details
One certificate programme with any other Programme	Admission in both programmes can be taken in the same admission cycle
One UG + One PG Programme	Admission has to be taken in two different admission cycles *Admission can be taken only in specified courses. Details are available on IGNOU website
Two UG Programmes
Two PG Programmes

Certain programmes are not allowed under the simultaneous registration. Students are advised to visit
the official prospectus for the same. Additionally, there will be no change in the counseling/ assignment submission/ examination schedule in case dates for the above clash for the courses in which a student has taken admission.

Q: What does the NSOU Kolkata offer students upon admission?

NSOU Kolkata offers study materials to the students after they enroll themselves in the programmes offered at the university. Students can collect their SLM, i.e. self-learning material from their allocated learner support centre. To collect the SLMs students have to show their receipt provided by the university. Students can also study from a softcopy of the same available on the official website. The study material is available in two mediums, i.e. English and Bengali.

Name of the Open University	Location	Public/ Private Status
IGNOU	New Delhi	Public
MP Bhoj Open University	Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh	Public
Netaji Subhas Open University	Kolkata, West Bengal	Public
BRAOU	Telangana	Public
Symbiosis Centre of Distance Learning	Pan India	Private
Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University	Guwahati	Public
Nalanda Open University	Patna, Bihar	Public
Uttarakhand Open University	Haldwani, Uttarakhand	Public
DU School of Open Learning	Delhi	Public
Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University	Kota, Rajasthan	Public
UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University	Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh	Public
Maharishi Dayanand University	Rohtak, Haryana	Public
Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University	Nashik, Maharashtra	Public
Karnataka State Open University	Mysore, Karnataka	Public
Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Open University	Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh	Public
Tamil Nadu Open University	Chennai, Tamil Nadu	Public
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University	Ahmedabad, Gujarat	Public
Odisha State Open University	Sambalpur, Odisha	Public

Indira Gandhi National Open University

IGNOU is, without a doubt, the most popular open university in the country. Chosen by many, this university was established in 1985 by the Government of India. With approximately 4 million enrollments, it also happens to be the world’s largest university. IGNOU’s head office is located in Delhi, but as of today, they have an enormous network of 67 regional centres across the country. They have 27 Schools of Study. Not only that, the university further provides its students with more than 2500 learner support centres and 29 overseas partner institutions. They call themselves “The People’s University”, and they certainly have the numbers supporting their claim. Also, they topped the list of open universities based on the NIRF 2024 rankings.

Official Website - https://www.ignou.ac.in/

They offer undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD and a wide range of diploma and certificate programmes. Some popular courses offered by them are -

Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University

Simply known as Bhoj University, Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University is located in Bhopal, MP. It was established in 1991. Its regional centres are across the districts of Madhya Pradesh. Like other open universities in the country, the tuition fee for their courses is quite nominal and extremely affordable.

Official Website - https://mpbou.edu.in/

They offer over 40 courses in the streams of Management & Commerce, Information Technology and Computer Science, Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Department of Education. Popular courses include -

Q: What are the top 5 courses in IGNOU?

One of the leading universities in India, IGNOU offers over 200 UG, PG, diploma, certificate and doctoral courses via open and distance learning (ODL) mode. Candidates interested in IGNOU admission can apply through the online admission portal for ODL programmes, i.e. ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in. In addition, the university launched an Online Education portal under its umbrella and now, it offers more than 40 UG, PG, Diploma and Certificate courses via the same.

Out of all these courses, some of the popular ones are listed below:

BA
BCom
BSc
MBA
B.Ed

Netaji Subhas Open University

Based out of Kolkata, Netaji Subhas Open University was ranked as the second-best open university in this year's NIRF ranks list. It was established on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 100th birth anniversary year, 1997. Their aim is to build and improve the human resource base of the state by providing quality education. They have schools of Humanities, Social Sciences, Vocational Studies, Education and Professional Studies.

Official Website - https://www.wbnsou.ac.in/index_web.shtml

Popular courses at Netaji Subhas Open University include -

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) is also known as Telangana Open University. Earlier, it was known as Andhra Pradesh Open University. It was established in 1982. The university has gained popularity in the state, providing education to a large number of non-formal learners. Their course materials are available in English, Telugu and Urdu in both print and digital forms.

Official Website - https://braou.ac.in/#gsc.tab=0

Some popular courses offered by this open university are -

Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning

The Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL) was established in 2001. Since Symbiosis is such a renowned name, their distance education programmes were also quick to gain progress and popularity. They provide several postgraduate diplomas, diplomas, and certificate programmes in the streams of legal studies, business management, IT, banking and finance, healthcare, international business, entrepreneurship development and education.

Official Website - admissions.scdl.net

Some frequently chosen programmes at SCDL are listed below -

Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University

KKHSOU is a relatively newer open university compared to the rest of the names on this list. Based out of Guwahati, this open university was established in 2005. This university offers several distance learning courses, including BA, MA, BBA and MBA. It is UGC recognised and also a member of AIU (Association of Indian Universities). Students from across Assam choose this university to pursue open-format programmes.

Official Website - https://kkhsou.ac.in/

Popular courses at KKHSOU include -

Nalanda Open University

Nalanda Open University is a prestigious university based in Patna, Bihar. It was established in 1987 by an ordinance issued by the Bihar Government. It was named after the famous ancient Buddhist Nalanda University. Their aim is to provide higher education to special groups like older people, people living in remote areas, ex-servicemen, housewives, etc., through their distance learning programmes.

Official Website - https://www.nou.ac.in/Library/index.html

People often choose the following courses at Nalanda Open University -

Uttarakhand Open University

Located in the city of Haldwani, Uttarakhand Open University was established in 2005. They offer both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. They also offer PhD degrees, but only after full-time programmes. Interestingly, they also have a Hindi community radio station called Hello Haldwani. Its broadcast is based out of the university building. It serves as an information portal, and it also provides online access to radio broadcasts.

Official Website - https://www.uou.ac.in/#openModal

Popular courses include -

Delhi University School of Open Learning

The School of Open Learning was established in 1962. Further, Delhi University also established the Department of Distance and Continuing Education (DDCE), the Open Learning Development Centre (OLDC) backed by the Campus of Open Learning (COL) in 2022. When SOL started out, it became a pioneer of distance learning programmes. It was earlier known as the School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education. The postgraduate and undergraduate courses offered here are supported through their Personal Contact Programme provided at the various study centres of the school.

Official Website - https://web.sol.du.ac.in/home

Some popular programmes at the School of Open Learning are -

Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University

This open university operates in Kota, Rajasthan. It came into being in 1987. VMOU recognises itself as an instrument of democratizing education and augmenting opportunities for higher education. They aim to provide a wide-access, flexible, innovative and cost-effective system of education. They have regional centres in Kota, Ajmer, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Udaipur.

Official Website - https://www.vmou.ac.in/

Frequently chosen courses include -

Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University

Established in 1999, this is the official open university by the UP Government. Just like other open universities on the list, UPRTOU also aims to provide education to housewives, servicemen, people living in remote locations, elders, economically weaker sections, etc.

Official Website - https://uprtouexam.in/

Some courses that students often go for at UPRTOU are -

Maharishi Dayanand University

Situated in Rohtak, Maharishi Dayanand University has a Centre for Distance and Online Education. The correspondence cell in the university was established in 1988. It was only renamed in 2012. In addition to the services generally provided by open universities, this open university also provides its students with auditoriums, a university computer centre, a DDE conference hall, etc.

Official Website - https://mdu.ac.in/Department/OfficeMain.aspx?Dept=43

Popular courses include -

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Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University

YCMOU was established in the year 1989. It operates out of Nashik and has regional centres all across Maharashtra. This university aims to become a ‘Mass Varsity’ and ‘Reach the Unreached’ by means of its distance learning programmes. According to their website, they have 8 regional centres in the state, along with 1711 learner support centres. They provide need-based academic programmes that include certificate courses, diploma courses, undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses. In addition to English, they also offer some popular courses in Marathi.

Official Website - https://ycmou.ac.in/home

Popular courses at YCMOU include -

Karnataka State Open University

KSOU was established in 1996. By providing distance learning higher education, they aim to achieve access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability. Before becoming a university, KSOU was the Institute of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education under the University of Mysore. Their motto is “Higher Education for Everyone Everywhere”.

Official Website - https://www.ksoumysuru.ac.in/

Courses that students often pick at KSOU include -

Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University

Relatively new, this open university in Chhattisgarh was established in 2005. Pt. Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University was named after the famous freedom fighter from the region. The university’s focus is to deliver education to people from remote and tribal areas of the state. In addition to undergraduate and postgraduate courses, students can also choose to pursue several certificate and diploma courses at this open university.

Official Website - https://www.pssou.ac.in/index?page=index_main

Frequently pursued courses at the university include -

Tamil Nadu Open University

This renowned university first started operations in the academic year 2003-04. Over the last twenty-something years, TNOU has experienced great growth. Currently, they teach over a million students in 234 programmes that they offer. Their aim is to provide skill-based education and training to the disadvantaged groups of the state.

Official Website - https://tnou.ac.in/

Popular courses at TNOU include -

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad

Ranked third in the NIRF 2024 Rankings for Open Universities, BAOU operates out of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This incredible open university aims to provide higher education to a larger and unreached student base. They also aim to promote the educational well-being of the community as a whole.

Official Website - https://baou.edu.in/home

Popular courses at BAOU include -

Odisha State Open University

Established only in 2015, OSOU is the youngest institute on the list. Based in Sambalpur, this open university has operations and jurisdiction all over the state of Odisha. Through their distance learning programmes, they aim to increase the state’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), promote inclusiveness in education and provide skill training and capacity building to increase employability. Being established in relatively recent times, the university has some modern and interesting strategic goals. They aim to provide self-learning material in both English and regional languages. They are also working to install biometric systems and CCTV at the study centres, among other developments. In addition to that, they also wish to build a faculty and student exchange programme so that best practices are adopted by the institute.

Official Website - https://osou.ac.in/

Popular courses include -

Choosing Your Ideal Open University - Things to Consider

You might want to consider the following things while choosing your ideal Open University.

If you have an institute in mind, look it up online and check the reviews.
Find out if they offer the course of your choice.
Find out if there are any study centres and support centres nearby.
Compare tuition fees with other institutes.
Check if you have to appear for an entrance exam. Some universities like DU SOL might have entrance exams, while others might give admissions based on merit.
Ensure that the university is UGC recognised at least.
Check if the course material and other learning resources are available. And if they are, find out if they are available in digital or physical form.
You might also want to check the credentials of your course coordinators.

Honourable Mentions

JNTU
Jagat Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab State Open University
Amity School of Distance Learning [Master of Science in EVS, BSc (IT), MSc (IT)].
Acharya Nagarjuna University

Distance Learning Universities in Major States and Cities

Aspiring higher education students can also check the list of distance education universities in various states and cities from the table below.

Kerala	Hyderabad
Maharashtra	Kolkata
Chennai	Bangalore
Bihar

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About the Author

Aayushi Madavi

Associate Senior Executive

Aayushi is a BAJMC graduate and an ardent consumer of content with a keen passion for film, TV and books. She specialises in Mass Communication and Humanities related exams, entrances and courses.