MBA from IGNOU: Fees, Admissions, Eligibility, Specializations, Career Scope

Vipra
Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content
4 mins readUpdated on Oct 7, 2026 11:10 IST
Are you a working professional who wishes to take his/ her career to the next level by pursuing MBA but do not have time to attend regular classes? If yes, IGNOU MBA is the right option for you. After completing a Distance MBA course from IGNOU candidates look for managerial roles sectors such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting

IGNOU is India's top Open University for UG and PG programmes. It's academic as well as professional programmes are very popular among students and working professionals. IGNOU courses are flexible and economical. In this article, we have shared all about MBA from IGNOU,

MBA from IGNOU

MBA from IGNOU

Indira Gandhi National Open University or IGNOU is India’s most popular open learning school for academic and professional courses. Having a Pan-India reach, IGNOU offers UG as well as PG courses in correspondence/distance learning mode. One of the top most IGNOU programme is MBA. IGNOU offers distance MBA programme across various specialisations. MBA from IGNOU is an ideal course for working professionals as well as students who want to build a career in management. IGNOU MBA programmes are recognised by the AICTE and designed keeping in view the latest industry requirements and practices. Whether you are a fresh graduate or a working professional, MBA from IGNOU will help you in honing your administrative and managerial skills. Read below all about MBA programmes offered by IGNOU.

Table of contents
  • MBA Courses Offered by IGNOU
  • MBA from IGNOU: Eligibility Criteria and Fees
  • MBA from IGNOU: Fees
  • Scope of MBA from IGNOU
  • Pros of pursuing MBA from IGNOU
  • Cons of pursuing MBA from IGNOU
  • Job Opportunities after IGNOU MBA
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MBA Courses Offered by IGNOU

IGNOU offers Distance MBA and PGD programmes in almost all the popular MBA specializations. Candidates can choose a specialization as per their interest and career goals. There is not much difference in fee amount. Check below the list of MBA courses offered by IGNOU.

  • MBA General
  • MBA Banking and Finance
  • MBA Operations Management
  • MBA Marketing Management
  • MBA Human Resource Management
  • MBA Financial Management
  • PGD in International Business Operations
  • PGD in Services Management
  • PGD in Operations Management
  • PGD in Financial Management
  • PGD in Human Resources Management

MBA from IGNOU: Eligibility Criteria and Fees

There is no entrance exam for MBA IGNOU however, there are certain eligibility criteria that need to be met by the candidates:

  • Candidates must have passed Bachelor’s degree of minimum 3-years duration with at least 50% marks
  • Reserved category students must have a minimum of 45% in graduation.
  • There is no upper age limit to register for the IGNOU programme
  • There is no requirement of entrance exam score for MBA admission

MBA from IGNOU: Fees

  • Fees of MBA/PGD course is around INR 15,000 to 16,000 per semester
  • Candidates have to pay registration fee & development fee as applicable

Scope of MBA from IGNOU

Distance MBA degree from an Open University like IGNOU may not give a quick push to your career but it is definitely helpful in exploring roles in the hierarchy. Distance MBA is best suited for working professionals who are looking to make a career move or seeking mid and senior level roles within their own organisation. MBA from IGNOU will equip them with the required skill set and technical knowledge to handle larger role in the organization.

Success after completing IGNOU from MBA also depends on the candidate. While some are able to make the best use of their degree through hard work, others don’t. One should remember that a degree is only a stepping stone, but what takes them forward is their skill, hard work and consistency.

Pros of pursuing MBA from IGNOU

Benefits of pursuing MBA from IGNOU are provided below:

  • Flexibility: Flexibility is the main plus point of IGNOU MBA. Whether it is a working professional or a fresh graduate who cannot pursue regular mode education, it is suited for both. By pursuing MBA from IGNOU candidates can study at their own pace and can earn as well as learn at the same time.
  • Cost-Effective: The course fee of a distance MBA course from IGNOU is quite low and affordable for most candidates. Since IGNOU is a Government institution, cost of the course is nominal.
  • Comprehensive Study Material: IGNOU MBA offers one of the best study material to candidates prepared by professors from top institutions such as IIMs and IITs. Therefore, with IGNOU MBA, candidates get to learn a lot within a limited period of time.   

Cons of pursuing MBA from IGNOU

Cons of pursuing MBA from IGNOU are listed below:

  • Less Exposure: One of the major drawbacks of pursuing a distance MBA from IGNOU is that the course does not provide much exposure to candidates. Unlike full-time MBA students, a distance programme does not offer class room interaction, summer internships, industry visits or other such opportunities of building network. 
  • Less Recognition from Recruiters: Recruiters prefer a regular MBA candidate over a Distance MBA one. Also, the salary is not quite encouraging for distance MBA students as compared to regular MBA candidates, if they are fresh graduates.
  • Limited Interaction with Faculty: There is no personal interaction with teachers which affects the learning of IGNOU MBA candidates. It is very difficult to study comprehensive books without any mentors. Therefore, it is very important for candidates pursuing MBA from IGNOU to follow a disciplined routine along with sincerity towards studies.  

Job Opportunities after IGNOU MBA

In a nutshell, Ddistance MBA programme from IGNOU is most suitable for working professionals who wish to sharpen business and managerial skills without taking a career break. Flexibility in studies, assignments submission and exams help them sail through work smoothly while learning the latest skills to move ahead in the rapidly changing job market. After completing a Distance MBA course from IGNOU candidates look for managerial roles sectors such as Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Accounting, Risk Management, and so on. Jobs for distance MBA pass-outs range from the typical finance and marketing executive roles to corporate managers, finance analysts, HR managers, sales managers, etc.

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Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the admission cycle of IGNOU?
A: 

IGNOU admission cycle opens twice in a year i.e. January and July. The registrations for January session usually begins in December and close by March. The July session for ODL/ Online programmes begin in May and continue till July. The mode of application is online for all the courses.

Q:   Can I take admission in IGNOU in August? What is IGNOU admission last date?
A: 

IGNOU admission is conducted in two cycles, i.e. January and July. While the registrations for the January session generally get over in March, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) admission for the July session opens in June and remains open till Jul-Aug. The admissions are mainly based on merit. Students unable to get admission in the January batch are open for admission in the July batch.

Q:   What is the admission procedure at IGNOU for BA course?
A: 

IGNOU BA application window is open. Students apply through the official website. The BA course at IGNOU application mentioned below:

  • Visit the website. Click on 'Apply Online'.
  • Select the 'Click here for New Registration' option.
  • Register online with required details.
  • Log in, fill out the form, pay the application fee, and submit the form.
Q:   What is the total fee for BA and BA (Hons) at IGNOU?
A: 

IGNOU BA/BA (H) fee range from INR 15,000 to INR 15,900. The first year fee can also include registration fee of INR 300. Students opting for BA Psychology (H) are required to pay additional fee of INR 600, per year. The given fee information is as per the official website or sanctioning body. It is still subject to revision.

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   When will IGNOU results be out for PhD admission?
A: 

IGNOU results for PhD admission are out on the official website of the institute. Candidates who have at least 50% aggregate in the entrance test (45% aggregate in case of SC/ ST/ OBC (Non Creamy layers)/ Differently abled persons) are shortlisted for the interview subject to the maximum limit of five times of the available seats. The entrance test carries a weightage of 70% and 30% weightage is allocated to the interview/ viva.

Q:   Is education free for SC/ST candidates at IGNOU?
A: 

As per a recent notification released by the IGNOU university, SC/ST students seeking fresh admission and re-registration to the July session of IGNOU admission are exempted from fee payment. Students willing to avail themselves of this facility must submit their applications online along with a soft copy of the documents required for the claim.

Q:   I've scored less than 50% in 12th boards, can I get admission in IGNOU for BSc?
A: 

Yes, students get IGNOU BSc asmission with 50% marks in Class 12 boards. It is mandatory to qualify class 12 in Science strea, with Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The institute accepts application through online mode. 

Q:   What is the fee for MBA at IGNOU?
A: 

The total tuition fee for MBA at IGNOU is INR 66,000. This fee is sourced from the sanctioning body/official website. It is however, still subject to changes and hence, is indicative. For more details, students can confirm the fee from the admission office. Apart from this, a non-refundable registration fee of INR 300 (unless specified otherwise) shall be charged along with the programme fee of first semester/year at the time of admission. 

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the time frame to get admission confirmation from IGNOU?
A: 

All the admission forms submitted via the Online Admission System are scrutinised and confirmed for admission subject to the fulfilment of eligibility criteria. These forms are processed region-wise on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Q:   What is the fee for M.A. at Central University of Himachal Pradesh?
A: 

In Central University of Himachal Pradesh the Total fees for MA which has total 14 different courses is about 4000 to 5400. And eligibility criteria is graduation with minimum 50% and entrance exam CUET- PG. Different courses such as MA in Political Science, Hindi, English Language and Literature, Economics, Sociology, History, Journalism, Punjabi, New media and Communication and many more such courses. And all these courses has 33 seats. And course fees of 4k . With average package of 2.5 Lakh. 

Q:   What should I do after taking online admission in IGNOU?
A: 

Candidates who are selected for admission need to confirm their seat by paying the course fee. Here are few things that students will recieve after taking admission in IGNOU:

  • Once a students get admission into IGNOU, he or she will recieve the enrollment number and ID for future login to the samarth portal of the university.
  • Based on the choice made by the candidate while filling the application form, he or she will then recieve the study material. Soft copy is available on the official website of the university. 
  • Registered students also recieve a mail from the regional or study centre for counselling. It is an induction ceremony where the course is introduced to the students.
  • A schedule of classes is also shared through mail. For any query regarding classes, students must contact their study centre.
Q:   What is the eligibility criteria for MSc courses at IGNOU?
A: 

The eligibility criteria for all MSc courses are as follows:

MSc specialisations

Eligibility

Food Nutrition

BSc (Home Science) specialisation in Food and Nutrition, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition or PG Diploma in Dietetics and Public Health Nutrition or Graduate (BSc Hons) or equivalent (MBBS, BHHS, etc.) from the following background – Home Science/ Food Science and Technology, Life Science, Microbiology, Pharmaceutical, Catering along with the DNHE or CNCC or CFN offered by IGNOU (simultaneous admission for CFN/ CNCC is also permitted)

Counselling and Family Therapy

Bachelor’s degree in any subject from a recognised university

Environmental Science

Bachelor’s degree in any discipline Science/ Engineering/ Agricultural Science/ Forestry/ Veterinary Science from a recognised university

Mathematics with Application in Computer Science

- Graduate with a major or Hons in Mathematics with at least 50% aggregate - If the seats at a centre remain vacant then: Graduate with a BA/ BSc degree with Mathematics as one of the three main subjects with equal weightage, with at least 50% aggregate and 55% aggregate in the Mathematics

For more details on MSc fee, eligibility & selection,  click here. 

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Vipra Shrivastava
Senior Manager - Content

Vipra Shrivastava is MA in English Literature from Delhi University with extensive experience in content writing of over 14 years. She has been handling content for Management, Accounting and Commerce streams for 8

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Answered 3 weeks ago

The total tuition fees for MA is INR 14,000-INR 27,000 at IGNOU. The fees is the highest for MA in Education. For most of language programmes, the fees is at lower end. 

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Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered 3 weeks ago

Yes, candidates do not require passing any entrance exam for admission in MA at IGNOU. Aspirants are selected based on their scores in the qualifying exam. Selected candidates have to pay course fees to confirm their seat. 

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To get exam notifications for  IGNOU, SOL and NIOS, you must check the announcement section of the official website and notifications.

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Yes, you can pursue a BSc Agriculture after completing Class 12 with Agriculture (RBSE).

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