Compare IGNOU BCOMG and BCOMF: Structure, Honours Year, Fees and Admission

The choice between IGNOU BCOMG and BCOMF depends on the scheme and the duration of study. BCOMG is a Bachelor of Commerce (General) under the CBCS scheme, while BCOMF is a four-year Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) under the FYUP-2022 scheme. BCOMG suits students seeking a three-year degree, whereas BCOMF is for those aiming for a four-year Honours degree.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF: what each one is and how they differ

BCOMG and BCOMF are both Bachelor of Commerce programmes offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi, through Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode. The primary distinction lies in their structure and the eligibility they provide for one-year Master’s degrees.

BCOMG is listed as a Bachelor of Commerce (General) programme under the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). Its assignment page for the 2025-26 session labels it “B.Com(G) CBCS”. BCOMF, however, is a four-year undergraduate programme under the UGC FYUP-2022 scheme, titled Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) (BCOMF). This programme is listed as item 12 in IGNOU’s Four-year Undergraduate Programmes.

The eligibility for a one-year Master of Commerce (MCOMOY) differs significantly between the two. MCOMOY requires any four-year Bachelor’s degree with Honours or Honours with Research.

BCOMG only

• Programme page: Bachelor of Commerce (General), ODL, School of Management Studies

BCOMF only

• Listed as UG programme: BCOMF is item 12 in the list of Four-year Undergraduate Programmes
• School: School of Management Studies (SOMS)

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF recognition and validity

The recognition for IGNOU’s BCOMG and BCOMF programmes is largely similar, as both are offered by the same university. Degrees, diplomas, and certificates awarded by IGNOU are recognised by all member institutions of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). This applies to both the BCOMG and BCOMF programmes.

IGNOU states that its programmes, including BCOMG and BCOMF, are at par with those approved by the UGC-Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB). The UGC regulation quoted by IGNOU confirms that undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and postgraduate diplomas obtained through ODL or Online mode are equivalent to conventional-mode awards. A generic “Bachelor of Commerce” (ODL, UG) row for IGNOU appears on the UGC-DEB list for the 2026-27 July session, which covers both programmes.

The key difference lies in the awards offered. BCOMF explicitly details a four-year structure leading to a Degree with Honours after 160 credits. The BCOMF guide names specific awards: a Certificate in Commerce after year one, a Diploma in Commerce after year two, a B.Com after year three, and either a B.Com (Honours) or B.Com (Honours with Research) after year four.

BCOMF only

• Honours degree duration: 4 years (160 credits) = Degree with Honours
• Awards offered: Certificate in Commerce (yr 1 + 4-credit VOC), Diploma in Commerce (yr 2 + VOC), B.Com (yr 3), B.Com (Honours) or B.Com (Honours with Research) (yr 4)

More on the IGNOU degree: whether an IGNOU degree is valid and IGNOU degree certificate, migration and convocation.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF courses offered

The BCOMG and BCOMF programmes at IGNOU differ significantly in their structure, particularly regarding the Honours year and exit options.

The BCOMG programme has a minimum duration of 36 months, with a total fee of Rs. 15,000, charged at Rs. 5,000 per year. The BCOMF programme allows multiple entry and exit points, with a degree with Major awarded after 120 credits in three years, and a UG Degree with Honours after 160 credits in four years. Students can request a certificate or diploma upon exiting after year one, two, or three, which requires an extra 4-credit vocational course. Both programmes define one credit as 30 hours of learner study.

BCOMG only

BCOMF only

• Multiple entry and exit: Introduced for IGNOU UG programmes under the FYUP framework from the July 2025 admission cycle; Certificate or diploma on exit is awarded on demand; an extra 4-credit vocational course is taken through CRCS; Exits after year 1, 2 and 3; 3 years (120 credits) = Degree with Major
• Re-admission: Registration valid for eight years; two more years by re-admission (Programme Guide 2025)
• Total credits: 160 credits over four years, 40 per year, 20 per semester; 20 credits per semester
• Credit split: DSC 60 + Minor/Vocational 24 + AEC 8 + IDC/SEC 22 + VAC 6 = 120 credits; Exit 3 = UG Degree with Major; DSC 80 + Minor 32 + AEC 8 + IDC/SEC/project 34 + VAC 6 = 160 credits; Exit 4 = UG Degree with Honours

What BCOMG offers

What BCOMF offers

IGNOU course guides: IGNOU BA; IGNOU MBA; IGNOU MA; IGNOU MCA and IGNOU syllabus.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF fees, course by course

The programme fee for both IGNOU BCOMG and BCOMF is Rs. 5,000 per year. This fee applies to the July 2026 and January 2027 admission cycles.

For the Bachelor of Commerce (General) BCOMG, the total fee is Rs. 15,000 for the three-year programme. This is calculated as Rs. 5,000 per year for three years, matching the minimum duration of 36 months. A University Development fee of Rs. 400 is also paid at admission for the July 2026 session.

The Bachelor of Commerce (Major / FYUP Honours) BCOMF also has a programme fee of Rs. 5,000 per year. Similar to BCOMG, a University Development fee of Rs. 400 is payable at admission for the July 2026 session, along with a registration fee of Rs. 300. The 2025 programme guide listed an older fee of Rs. 4,500 per year, but this has been superseded by the current Rs. 5,000 per year.

BCOMF only

• Programme fee prospectus: Rs. 5,000 per year (July 2026)
• Older programme guide fee: Rs. 4,500 per year, Rs. 18,000 for the four-year programme (Programme Guide 2025 (superseded by Rs. 5,000))

What BCOMG offers

What BCOMF offers

IGNOU fees in full: IGNOU fee structure.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF admission: sessions, last dates and portals

IGNOU admits students to both BCOMG and BCOMF programmes twice a year, in January and July cycles. The admission portal, as of October 27, 2026, shows the July 2026 ODL cycle, and registration for this cycle is now over. Dates for the January 2027 cycle are not yet published.

Both BCOMG and BCOMF require a non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 300, paid at the time of admission on top of the programme fee. This applies to the July 2026 session. BCOMF is listed on the ODL admission portal for the July 2026 session.

Students may pursue two academic programmes simultaneously through ODL or Online mode, subject to certain conditions, for both BCOMG and BCOMF. BCOMG is still examined for continuing learners, as it appears in the programme-code list for the December 2026 term-end examination date sheet. IGNOU publishes that BCOMF allows re-entry after exit for UG Certificate holders into the second year of the same programme, and UG Diploma holders into the third year, applicable from July 2025 onward.

BCOMG only

• Still examined: Code BCOMG is in the programme-code list of the December 2026 term-end examination date sheet (December 2026 TEE)

BCOMF only

• Re-entry after exit: Re-entry allowed in Major as well as Multidisciplinary programmes: UG Certificate holders enter year 2, UG Diploma holders enter year 3 of the same programme (July 2025 onward)
• Re-entry with UG Certificate: IGNOU UG Certificate holders get entry to the second year of the same programme (July 2025 onward)
• UG Certificate entry window: Entry to an IGNOU programme within 7 years of award of the UG Certificate (July 2025 onward)
• Listed on admission portal: BCOMF is listed on the ODL admission portal (July 2026)

IGNOU admission this session: IGNOU admission 2026; how to apply to IGNOU online; IGNOU admission last date and IGNOU admission status.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF study material, classes and study centres

The study material for both IGNOU BCOMG and BCOMF programmes is provided as printed self-instructional study material, which can be a print book or an e-book. Learners who choose the soft copy option for their study material receive a 15% discount on the programme fee for both BCOMG and BCOMF.

IGNOU publishes that BCOMF includes a fourth Honours year, which is not available for BCOMG.

IGNOU books and centres: IGNOU study material and IGNOU regional and study centres.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF assignments and exams

Both BCOMG and BCOMF require assignments to be submitted before students can take the term-end examinations. This rule applies to the July 2026 session for both programmes.

IGNOU publishes that term-end examinations for both BCOMG and BCOMF are held twice a year, ordinarily in June and December, for the July 2026 session. For BCOMF, assignments contribute 30% to the final grade, while the term-end exam accounts for 70%, as stated in the Programme Guide 2025.

To pass BCOMF, students must achieve at least 35% (Grade D) in both assignments and the term-end exam for each course, according to the Programme Guide 2025. For BCOMG, the University provides numerical marks and division (I, II or Pass) upon request for the July 2026 session. For BCOMF, numerical marks and division are also given in the grade card, as stated in the Programme Guide 2025. The IGNOU assignment page lists “B.Com(G) CBCS” for the 2025-26 session, confirming assignments are still issued.

BCOMG only

• Assignments still issued: IGNOU assignment page lists “B.Com(G) CBCS” (2025-26)

BCOMF only

• Assignment term-end weightage: 30% assignments, 70% term-end exam (Programme Guide 2025)
• Pass marks: At least 35% (Grade D) in assignments and term-end exam of each course (Programme Guide 2025)
• Numerical marks and division: On request the University provides numerical marks and division (I, II or Pass) (July 2026)

IGNOU exam cycle: IGNOU assignments; IGNOU date sheet; IGNOU hall ticket and IGNOU result and grade card.

IGNOU BCOMG vs BCOMF credit transfer, migration and re-admission

A student from another university can transfer credits to complete an equivalent programme at IGNOU for both BCOMG and BCOMF.

For BCOMF, lateral entry from another institution is possible only if the Major and Minor disciplines match those offered by IGNOU. If the disciplines do not match, admission is to year 1, with credit transfer for relevant courses.

ICAI courses are mapped for credit transfer to both BCOMG and BCOMF. These ICAI courses are valid for credit transfer for 7 years, and a student can claim credit once per course. For ICAI credit transfers to BCOMF, a one-time processing fee applies: Rs. 500 for up to 16 credits and Rs. 1,000 for more than 16 credits, as per the notification dated 23 May 2025.

BCOMG only

• ICAI credit transfer validity: ICAI courses valid for credit transfer for 7 years; claim once per course

BCOMF only

• ICAI credit transfer fee: No credit-transfer fee; one-time processing fee Rs. 500 up to 16 credits, Rs. 1,000 above (Notification 23 May 2025)
• Lateral entry from other institution: Entry from another institution only if Major and Minor disciplines match those offered by IGNOU; otherwise admission to year 1 and credit transfer

For enrolled IGNOU students: IGNOU re-registration.

IGNOU BCOMG or BCOMF: which is better for you

Students seeking a shorter undergraduate degree should consider IGNOU BCOMG, which has a minimum duration of 36 months. Those aiming for a four-year Honours degree or a one-year Master’s programme later should choose BCOMF. BCOMF is a four-year undergraduate programme under the UGC FYUP-2022 framework, offering a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) after 4 years or a Bachelor of Commerce (Major) after 3 years.

For students prioritising a quicker entry into a two-year Master of Commerce (MCOM), both BCOMG and BCOMF offer eligibility after completing a Bachelor’s degree. However, the one-year M.Com (MCOMOY) requires any four-year Bachelor’s degree with Honours or Honours with Research, making BCOMF (after its fourth year) the direct path for this specific postgraduate option. The annual programme fee for both BCOMG and BCOMF is Rs. 5,000, as stated in the July 2026 and January 2027 fee notifications.

Students who might need to exit their programme early will find BCOMF more flexible. It offers multiple exit points: a Certificate in Commerce after year 1, a Diploma in Commerce after year 2, and a B.Com (Major) after year 3. These awards are given on demand, with an additional 4-credit vocational course. BCOMG does not publish similar intermediate exit awards. Both programmes require a non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 300 and a University Development fee of Rs. 400 at admission for the July 2026 session.

For those considering admission cycles, both BCOMG and BCOMF have two admission cycles a year, in January and July. The admission portal for July 2026 ODL cycle shows registration is over as of 27 October 2026. Information for the January 2027 cycle is not yet published. Both programmes require 10+2 in any discipline for eligibility, and both are offered in English medium, with BCOMF also available in Hindi.

Notices and Documents from IGNOU

• BCOMF Common Prospectus July 2026
• BCOMF Icai Credit Transfer Notification May2025
• IGNOU Tentative Date Sheet December 2026 Term End Examination
• IGNOU Notification 103 Revised Programme Fees 2026
• Programme Page BCOMG
• BCOMG Assignments Bachelor Page
• BCOMF Samarth Portal Admission Home
• BCOMF Ugc Deb IGNOU Bachelor Rows
• BCOMF Programme Guide B.Com 2025
• IGNOU Four Year Undergraduate Programme MEME Scheme July 2025
• BCOMF Programme Page B.Com
• BCOMF Samarth Portal Programmes List

Common IGNOU Questions