Distance education is catching up fast in India and the number of students opting for this mode of education is on the rise. Many students living in remote areas are not able to pursue regular courses for their higher education even if they desire to do so. They can fulfill their desire with this mode of education. Even working professionals can give a boost to their career with improved qualification and skills. With headway in open learning, many universities in India providing this education form have developed in the past few years. We will have a look at the top 10 distance learning universities in India.
Top 10 open universities
Below is a comprehensive list of the top 10 open universities which provide different courses to the candidates through distance education. They are not in any particular order.
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
Governed by the Distance Education Council (DEC), IGNOU is the most popular university among students seeking admission in correspondence or online courses. The courses are categorized under different schools of study.
Dr B R Ambedkar Open University
There are around 137 centers of this university all across the country. The motto of this University is ‘Education at Your Doorstep’. Several under graduate, post graduate and diploma courses are offered in this University.
Sikkim Manipal
This University is recognized by the United Grants Commission and there are around 725 authorized centers across India.
Annamalai
Annamali University is the first distance learning university in India offering post graduate course in subjects like Zoology, Applied Psychology, Bioinformatics, Botany, Law, etc. All the courses are approved by the Distance Education Council.
Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
This institute is situated in Pune and follows the concept of ‘Blended Learning’. Their programs have e-learning facility along with printed study materials and faculty interaction. The program structure is such that the students get the same knowledge as that of regular courses.
ICFAI
ICFAI University has many centers all across the world and is well known for its MBA courses through the open education mode. With an MBA degree from ICFAI, candidates can improve their job chances immensely.
Maulana Azad National Urdu University
With 9 regional centers, the university proffers 3 under graduate, 3 post graduate and 8 PG Diploma, Certificate and Diploma courses. B.Ed programs are also offered to the interested candidates.
Alagappa University
The Alagappa University provides job oriented and sector specific programs to its students in this education medium. Both Tamil and Hindi are the medium of instruction. Diploma holders are eligible for lateral entry in various degree programs.
University of Mumbai
University of Mumbai has a separate section for students who are interested to take up open learning courses. The Distance and Open Learning section offers different degrees under various faculties available.
IMT Distance and Open Learning Institute
Cyber security and management are the two areas of study in which students can enroll for correspondence or online learning. Post graduate programs and PhD programs are highly recommended.
It is however necessary to make a thorough check about every aspect of admission before enrolling in any of these top distance learning universities.