Distance Education Courses and Universities

Open Universities in India

Open Universities in India provide the facility of distance education to people who are unable to pursue regular courses. These universities offer undergraduate, post graduate and doctoral programme. They also offer diploma and certificate level courses.

Apart from Open Universities there are distance education universities in most of the Indian states. An Assessment and Accreditation system will be in place for all open universities of India by January 2009. This new system will work on the lines of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which assesses and accredits conventional colleges and universities.

There are 14 Open Universities in India at present- 1 national and 13 state open universities. They have educational centers in various states of India.

  1. Indira Gandhi National Open University - Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068 India Tel.: 91-11-29532321, 29535924-32, 29535062-65 (EPABX), Extn. 2504 & 2508 Fax: 91-11-29536588 E-mail : rmohan@ignou.ac.in
  2. DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR OPEN UNIVERSITY (BRAOU), HYDERABAD, A.P. - (1982) Prof. G. Ram Reddy Marg Road No.46, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad - 500033, Andhra Pradesh, India Tel.: 91-40-23544910 Fax: 91-40-23544830 E-mail : open@braou.ac.in Total Enrollment in 2004 : 190230
  3. VARDHMAN MAHAVEER OPEN UNIVERSITY (VMOU), KOTA, RAJASTHAN - (1987) Rawatbhata Road, Akhelgarh, Kota-324010, Rajasthan, India Tel.: 91-744-2471254 Fax: 91-744-2470451
  4. NALANDA OPEN UNIVERSITY (NOU). PATNA, BIHAR - (1987) IIIrd Floor, Biscomaun Bhawan, West Gandhi Maidan, Patna - 800001, Bihar, India Tel.: 91-612-2201013 Fax: 0612 2201001, E-mail : nalopuni@bih.nic.in
  5. YASHWANTRAO CHAVAN MAHARASHTRA OPEN UNIVERSITY (YCMOU), NASHIK, MAHARASHTRA - (1989) Dnyanagangotri, Near Gangapur Dam, Nashik-422222, Maharashtra India Tel.: 91-253-2231714, 2231715 Fax: 91-253-2231716 E-mail : openuniv@vsnl.com
  6. MADHYA PRADESH BHOJ OPEN UNIVERSITY (MPBOU), BHOPAL, M.P. - (1991) I.T.I (Gas Rahat), Building Govindpura, Bhopal – 462 023 Tel.: 0755 2784102, 5272017 Fax: 91-755- 2600704 E-mail: vc@rbuphop.mp.nic.in
  7. DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR OPEN UNIVERSITY (BAOU), AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT - (1994) Govt. Bungalow No.9, Dafnala, Shahi Baug, Ahmedabad-380003, Gujarat, India Tel.: 91-79-22869690/91 Fax: 91-79-22869691 E-mail : baou@sancharnet.in
  8. KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY (KSOU), MYSORE, KARNATAKA - 1996) Manasagangotri, Mysore - 570006, Karnataka, India Tel.: 91-821-2515149 Fax: 91-821-2500846 E-mail : vcksou@eth.net
  9. NETAJI SUBHAS OPEN UNIVERSITY (NSOU), KOLKATA, W.B. - (1997) 1, Woodburn Park, Kolkata -700020, West Bengal, India Tel.: 91-33-22835157 Fax: 91-33-22835052 E-mail : nsou@cal2.vsnl.net.in
  10. U.P. RAJARSHI TANDON OPEN UNIVERSITY (UPRTOU), ALLAHABAD, U.P. - (1998) 17, Maharshi Dayanand Marg (Thornhill Road), Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India Tel.: 91-532-2621840, 2623250 Fax: 91-532-2624368 E-mail : uprtou_alld@hclinfinet.com
  11. TAMIL NADU OPEN UNIVERSITY (TNOU), CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU - (2002) Directorate of Technical Education Campus, Guindy, Chennai-600 025 Phone : 044-22351414 Fax : 044 2220 0601
  12. PT. SUNDERLAL SHARMA OPEN UNIVERSITY (PSSOU), BILASPUR, CHHATTISGARH - (2005) Near Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhayay Park, Vayapar Vihar, Bilaspur (Chattisgarh) -495001 Phone No : 07752 – 514255 Telefax : (0771) 2221259
  13. UTTARANCHAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, HALDWANI, (NAINITAlL), UTTARANCHAL - Near Sourabh Mount View, Bhotia Traow, Haldwani-263141, Nainital.
  14. K. K. Handique State University,Guwahati, Assam

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) in Maharashtra and Netaji Subash Open University (NSOU) in West Bengal have performed well over the years. Andhra Pradesh (Dr BR Ambedkar Open University, BRAOU), Maharastra (YCMOU), Madhya Pradesh (MP Bhoj Open University)and West Bengal(NSOU) have registered large enrolments. Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) has been active in areas like Livelihood Education benefiting the poor and rural communities. Open Universities in Rajasthan (Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University or VMOU, Gujrat (Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University or BAOU, Karnataka (Karnataka State Open University or KSOU and Uttar Pradesh (UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University or UPRTOR) have not grown much along expected lines.