IGNOU - Indira Gandhi National Open University ,Saket, Delhi

A majority of Indira Gandhi National Open University courses are imparted through online and distance learning modes. Few courses, however, are also available through regular and part-time modes. This year, the University has launched a number of new courses, namely PG Diploma in Sustainability Science and PG Diploma in Digital Media, among others. IGNOU admission 2022 will be conducted in two cycles, i.e. January and July and the application process for July 2022 session is currently open. The admissions are mainly based on the aggregate obtained by candidates in the qualifying degree. However, for a few courses, such as MBA, B.Ed, Post-Basic BSc Nursing, MPhil and PhD, the University conducts/accepts the following entrance exams. Some of the popular IGNOU courses are mentioned in the table below, along with their specialisations and fee details:

IGNOU scholarships are offered to students belonging to reserved categories (SC/ST). Fee exemption/ reimbursement facilities may be provided from time to time as per the rules of the University. Such candidates may also apply for government scholarships. Students are advised to collect scholarship forms from the Directorate of Social Welfare or the office of the Social Welfare Officer of their State, fill it up and submit it to the Regional Director at the Regional Centre. Scholarship scheme of National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Disabled People (NCPEDP) for PG programmes is also applicable to this university's students. Such students are required to apply to the awarding authority directly.

Students, who belong to SC/ ST/ OBC/ Minority/ PWD, can also avail scheme of fee waiver/ reimbursement/ exemption/ scholarship offered by the UGC/ MHRD and various state governments.

IGNOU also offers fee concessions to the students admitted to the Agriculture Diploma and Certificate programmes (except for PG Certificate, PG Diploma and PhD). The concession is offered as per the following criteria:

• All the candidates from rural areas are entitled to 50% fee concession subject to the production of a domicile certificate
• The urban students below the poverty line may be given a 50% fee concession subject to the production of an income certificate

Indira Gandhi Open University released the results of all the semesters. Candidates, who have applied for the revaluation, can check the IGNOU revaluation result online at ignou.ac.in. Candidates must enter their enrolment number in order to view their IGNOU Result 2021. However, the university has released the June session TEE 2021 results on August 24, 2021. Furthermore, IGNOU also conducted the June term-end exam from August 03 to September 24, 2021, onwards. The dates for TEE 2021 have also been released by IGNOU. The December TEE is expected to be conducted from January 20, 2022, till February 22, 2022.

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), established in 1985, is considered one of the prominent names for distance/ part-time education in India. Indira Gandhi National Open University began by offering two programmes in 1987, with a strength of approximately 4,500 students. Today, the university serves more than three million students in India and abroad through its 21 schools and a network of 67 regional centres and 29 overseas partner institutions. IGNOU offers more than 200 programmes at certificate, diploma, degree and doctoral levels. The admission cycles of IGNOU are conducted twice in the year in January and July. For the January session, the online registration for most of the courses starts from November every year and for July, registrations begin in May-June.

IGNOU Delhi provides modern amenities with state-of-the-art infrastructure for its students under the Centre for Online Education (CoE). The university also offers facilities such as transportation, banking, ATM, library and several other facilities. Some of them are mentioned below in detail:

Conference Room: COE IGNOU has a large conference room which is used by all the schools and divisions for workshops, conferences, seminars, trainings and many more academic and administrative activities. It also has Public Address System (PAS) for smooth conduct of the activities and a seating capacity of more than 100 people.

Data Center: IGNOU Data Center houses high-end servers, firewall, storage and sophisticated network to house major applications of the centre such as eGyanKosh, web conferencing, webcasting, etc. Some components for supporting infrastructure include UPS, generators and redundant power sources, Computer Room Air Conditioners (CRAC) and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems among others.

While IGNOU has been catering to the educational aspirations of students for over 30 years, its alumni have been placed across different sectors such as Entertainment, Civil Services, IT, Business Development, Marketing and Human Resources among others. Earlier, there was a belief among students that the university is apt for those students only who are academically weak or non-serious about their careers. Here is a reality check for all such students- the notion is nothing but a myth. In recent years, there have been many notable IGNOU alumni who have managed to build a successful careers for themselves. Get details about those successful alumni of IGNOU below:

Alumni Name	Alumni Photograph
Celina Jaitly: Celina Jaitly is an Indian Bollywood actress who has appeard in several films. She had won the Miss India 2001 contest and was the fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 2001.
Sudipta Chakraborty: Sudipta Chakraborty is an Indian actress who works mostly in the Indian Bengali cinema. She has won the National Film Award 2000 for the Best Supporting Actress for the film Bariwali.
Gen Deepak Kapoor: PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC served General Deepak Kapoor was the 22nd Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, appointed on September 30, 2007, and the Chief and Chairmen of the Staffs Committee appointed on August 31, 2009.
Biswatosh Sengupta: Biswatosh Sengupta is an Indian academician. He is the fourth son among seven children of Provabati Sengupta and Manindranath.
Swapna Patker: Swapna Patker is an Indian film producer and businesswoman known for Marathi film Balkadu in 2015, a biopic of Shivsena founder, Balasaheb Thackeray. She is the managing director of The Royal Maratha Entertainment, a Marathi film production company.

IGNOU FAQs

Q.Is the degree offered by IGNOU valid?

A. Yes. IGNOU is a trusted and accredited distance education University. It is a central University which was established by an act of parliament in 1985. Therefore, a distance education degree from IGNOU is equivalent to a degree granted by any recognised university in India.

Q.Is IGNOU better than DU SOL?

Q. Is IGNOU a regular college?

A. IGNOU, as the name suggests, is anopen and distance learning institution. Only a few courses, such as PhD and MPhil programmes are offered through regular mode.

Q.Do classes take place in IGNOU?

A. Yes, the classes are conducted by study centres, under the guidance of regional centres.

Q.When does a new batch start at IGNOU?

A. IGNOU conducts two academic sessions, which are held in January and July.

Q. How many times a year does IGNOU conduct term-end examination?

A. The University conducts term-end examinations twice a year in June and December.

Q. Do SC/ST candidates get free education at IGNOU?

A. As per a recent notification released by the University, SC/ST students seeking fresh admission and re-registration to the July session of IGNOU admission 2021 are exempted from fee payment. Students willing to avail this facility must submit their applications online along with the soft copy of documents required for the claim.

Q. Is IGNOU degree valid for IAS exam?

A. Yes, all IGNOU degrees are valid for any purpose whether you are appearing for any entrance exams or employment exams. It has recognition at national as well as international level.

Q.Is it worth doing an MBA from IGNOU?

A. There are many universities in India that offer distance MBA programmes to students. Among such universities, IGNOU is one of the most reputed and popular open universities in India. Although, the scope of distance MBA is lesser as compared to full-time MBA, yet IGNOU’s MBA is a blessing for those who are unable to pursue a full-time MBA due to financial or some other constraints.

Q.Is the degree offered by IGNOU valid abroad?

A. Yes. IGNOU is one of the largest distance learning universities in India that is known for its quality education. The degrees granted by IGNOU are valid and recognised not only in India but abroad.

Q. Does IGNOU offer any placement support?

A. Yes, IGNOU has a placement cell that helps students to find a suitable job. According to the verified students' reviews on Shiksha, the cell organises multiple seminars and jobfairs for thestudents every year. The average salary package offered during IGNOU campus placements ranges between Rs 1.87-3.5 LPA.