IGNOU Distance Education 2026: Courses, Fees, Admission and Results

Yes, IGNOU degrees, diplomas, and certificates are recognized by UGC-DEB and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). They are at par with degrees from all Indian universities per UGC circulars. The university holds NAAC A++ accreditation and NIRF Rank 1 in the Open University category. Students can apply for higher education or employment across India with these qualifications.

You can apply online through the IGNOU Samarth admission portals for ODL or online programmes. Applicants must register with an active email and mobile number, fill in academic details, provide an APAAR ID, and upload scanned documents. Application or registration fees must be paid online via net banking, UPI, or cards. For the July 2026 session, fresh admission forms were accepted on the Samarth portal.

The last date for July 2026 fresh admission for ODL and online programmes was extended to 30 September 2026, except for certificate and semester-based programmes. Online programmes under the IOP portal accepted applications until 13 October 2026. Applicants submitted their forms on the official Samarth online portals. Re-registration for existing students was also extended to 30 September 2026 with a late fee of Rs. 200.

IGNOU conducts Term-End Examinations (TEE) twice a year in June and December. For yearly programmes, the July session TEE takes place in June and the January session TEE takes place in December. Students must submit required assignments before filling the exam form online. Results are declared in August for June TEE and in February for December TEE on the official website.

Students must submit written assignments at their designated Learner Support Centres or uploaded via designated online portals as specified. For the yearly July session, assignment submission runs from October to March, while for the January session, it runs from March to September. Assignment marks form a mandatory part of continuous evaluation before appearing in the term-end exams.

Ph.D. admissions at IGNOU are based on UGC NET scores and an interview conducted at the New Delhi headquarters. Candidates qualifying UGC NET with JRF receive 100% interview weightage, while non-JRF candidates are evaluated with 70% NET score and 30% interview weightage. The non-refundable application fee is Rs. 1,000. Applications for the July 2026 session closed on 15 July 2026 on the Ph.D. portal.

IGNOU provides Self Learning Material (SLM) in printed form to ODL students by post or through study centres. Students who opt for soft copies during admission receive a discount on fees and access digital material through eGyankosh. For online programmes, no printed material is issued, and learning content is accessed through the Learning Management System. Distribution occurs between July and September for July sessions.

For yearly programmes, IGNOU declares Term-End Examination results in August for the June session and in February for the December session. For semester-based programmes, results are declared in February for the July session and in August for the January session. Students can check their results on the IGNOU Term-End Examination Result portal by entering their enrolment number.

IGNOU provides digital Self Learning Material across 22 Schools of Studies through the eGyanKosh repository. Students can access text, images, recorded videos, and SWAYAM course content for CBCS courses such as BAG, BAH, BCOMG, and BSC. To access these resources, learners browse directly through the IGNOU Self Learning Material repository web section.

Students can track the processing and dispatch status of physical study packages through the official Study Material Status portal. The tracking service covers nine consecutive admission terms up to the July 2026 cycle. Physical materials are distributed between July and September for the July yearly session, and between January and March for the January yearly session.

Official assignment question papers for programmes such as CJL and CRUL are published online via the IGNOU Assignment Question Papers link. Tutor Marked Assignments carry 100 marks each and must be completed before filling the term-end exam form. Students must submit their completed handwritten assignments directly to their allotted Study Centre and obtain a written receipt.

For exam forms submitted for cycles from January 2023 onwards, the theory examination fee is Rs. 200 per course. Practical and project evaluation fees are Rs. 300 per course for up to 4 credits, and Rs. 500 per course for courses above 4 credits. Fees are non-refundable and must be paid online through the Examination Registration Link.

Re-registration is mandatory for continuing ODL and online students to register for the next semester or academic year. For the July 2026 session, the extended last date to submit the re-registration form was 30 September 2026 with a late fee of Rs. 200. Students complete the process by logging into the official Re-Registration portal and paying via UPI, debit/credit card, or net banking.

IGNOU requires examinees to appear strictly at the examination centre listed on their issued admit card. The university does not entertain any requests for changing examination centres under any circumstances. Students select their preferred exam centre code during online exam form submission on the Examination Registration Link and verify submission after 72 hours on the payment status portal.

Students can check their term-end examination marks and re-evaluation status online through the IGNOU Term-End Examination Result portal. On the portal, select the result type as either TEE or RE-EVALUATION from the dropdown menu. Then choose the relevant examination session and enter your 9-digit or 10-digit enrolment number to view performance details.

The initial registration fee paid during IGNOU admission application is strictly non-refundable. If an applicant requests cancellation after admission confirmation, 15% of the programme fee is deducted up to a maximum ceiling of Rs. 2,000. No fee refund is admissible if the cancellation request is submitted after 60 days from the closing date of admissions.

Practical examinations for the June 2026 Term-End Examination are conducted from 22 July 2026 to 18 August 2026 in offline mode or virtual Google Meet mode depending on the course code. Students must pay the practical exam fee of Rs. 300 or Rs. 500 online during exam form submission. A copy of the payment receipt must be presented when attending practical exams.

Students enrolled in IGNOU Online Programmes receive no printed study material and complete coursework through a web-based Learning Management System. For online programmes like e-Vidyabharti, TEE examinations are conducted digitally, such as the December 2026 session scheduled from 15 December 2026 to 11 January 2027 in two daily sessions. Fresh admission applications for July 2026 online programmes closed on 13 October 2026.

IGNOU issues official degree certificates through its annual convocation, such as the 39th Convocation held on 07 April 2026. Students who have not collected their degree certificates from the 20th to 39th Convocations can apply online via the Degree Delivery Portal. The registration fee is Rs. 600 for degree and diploma programmes, and Rs. 200 for PG Certificate and Certificate programmes.

Registered IGNOU students can lodge official requests for migration certificates and academic transcripts through the IGNOU Grievance Redressal And Management (iGRAM) portal. On the iGRAM interface, select the specific query type category for Migration Certificate or Official Transcript. Submitting the query initiates administrative processing directly with the Student Evaluation Division.

The Ph.D. programme at IGNOU has a minimum duration of three years and a maximum duration of six years, with women and PwD candidates receiving two additional years. Admitted candidates must complete a compulsory six-month coursework at the IGNOU Campus in Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, maintaining at least 80% attendance. Candidates applying for part-time streams must also submit an employer NOC during their interview.

IGNOU strictly prohibits mobile phones, wireless or Bluetooth devices, all types of watches, bags, notes, water bottles, and correction fluid inside examination halls. Calculators are barred unless explicitly permitted on the course question paper. Candidates must sign the attendance sheet in the designated column and accurately enter their 9-digit or 10-digit enrolment number on the main answer sheet.

New students create an account on the official IGNOU admission portal (Samarth for ODL or IOP for Online) by clicking New Registration with an active email and mobile number. Generated login credentials including a username are sent immediately via email and SMS. Students then log in using their username and an 8-to-16 character alphanumeric password to complete applications or manage course details.

For the July 2026 session, the extended last date for fresh admission to ODL programmes was 30 September 2026, while fresh admission for Online programmes closed on 13 October 2026. Ph.D. applications for July 2026 closed on 15 July 2026. Online re-registration for the July 2026 session was accepted up to 30 September 2026 with a late fee of Rs. 200.

IGNOU conducts admission counselling for qualified B.Ed January 2026 session candidates at respective Regional Centres based on region-wise or cluster-wise merit lists and seat availability. Candidates view their entrance test marks on the result portal using their enrolment number. Shortlisted applicants must appear at the assigned Regional Centre with all original academic certificates for physical verification during counselling.