IGNOU: Varsity with no Parallel

About the institution: IGNOU is the world's largest university for open and distance learning, with 3.5 lakh students worldwide. It was founded to provide higher education opportunities, particularly to the disadvantaged segments of society, to encourage, coordinate and set standards for distance and open education in India.

Fees Range: Visit the university website for fee details. Exam fee of Rs 60 per course can be paid either online, cash deposit in designated banks or by demand draft.

Support Systems/ Facilities for Students: Self-instructional written material, audio-visual material aids, counselling sessions, teleconferences, and practical/project work. A 24-hour educational TV channel, Gyan Darshan, and a network of FM radio stations, Gyan Vani. Support is also provided through work centres, programme study centres and skill development centres.

Total no. and list of study centres: Many; visit the website to find the ones closest to you.

Enrolment: For all certificate programmes and BPP, the deadline is May 31 (without late fee) and June 15 (with late fee of R200) in the July 2011 session and November 30 (without late fee) and December 15 (with late fee of R200) for the January 2012 session. For all diploma, PG diploma, degree and masters' programmes, it's July 29 (without late fee) and August 31 (with late fee of R200) for the July 2011 session, and November 30 (without late fee) and December 31 (with late fee of R200 for the January 2012 session. Ignou allows round-the-year admissions under the walk-in scheme.

Approval from DEC: 2009-2015

Any other affiliation/ accreditation: UGC, AICTE, Commonwealth of Learning, Association of Indian Universities.