IGNOU PGD : Fees, Courses, Eligibility & Admission 2024

Overall: Indira Gandhi National Open University is usually the first choice of any student who is aspiring to pursue a distance education course. I would not deny that the flexibility and freedom that IGNOU offers to its students are very appropriate since most of the students of IGNOU are working. However, the whole system of evaluation and assessment at the university can be improved. The classes or the doubt sessions are not conducted so sincerely. Some of the teachers are very dedicated while some others do not even pay any head. However, the IGNOU study material is very helpful. The material is so good that if a student has sincerely studied the material given, then he or she can understand the concepts well.

Placement: IGNOU has a placement cell which was incorporated in 2005, which is much later than the year of establishment of the university. The placement cell provides soft skill training as well as valuable insights on industry trends to the students. The placement rate is around 70% to 80% and the average CTC is Rs 3 to 4 lakh per annum. Some of the common hirers are Aviva India, Radical Minds, and, Reliance Life Insurance. Overall, I would say that the placements are average.

Faculty: As I mentioned above, the teachers are of varied nature. The examination checking is something which can be improved. In most of the exams, I wrote the answers well, but scored very less. The exam fee for all the papers is Rs 120. But, the quality of material provided by the university is very good. Even students from other universities are on the hunt for IGNOU material due to its good quality.

Overall: If you are looking for an open learning university, then IGNOU might be the first name on your list. I wanted to pursue a Master’s degree but also had to work simultaneously due to my financial situation. Thus, I thought to apply at IGNOU. The teachers were average. They were not so dedicated towards their jobs and just took doubt classes whenever needed. However, the study resources provided by the university were very helpful. If you have a knack of self-studying, then the study material can be of great help to you. The regional centres are located in various parts of the country which basically act as help centres for the students. The university does not have a single-central campus.

Placement: When it comes to placements, IGNOU has started placement training since 2005. However, there has not been much development in the placement packages. At present, the average packages offered are of Rs 3 lakh or Rs 4 lakh at the most. However, the overall placement rate goes up to 70%. Reliance and Aviva are the top 2 recruiters. However, if you have a good experience and other skills, then chances of getting placed increase.

Infrastructure: IGNOU does not have any infrastructure as such since it follows the Open Learning model. However, the regional centres have basic amenities like internet, computer labs, library, digital learning resources, and, basic furniture.

Faculty: There are around 250 teachers at the campus currently. Apart from this, there are 35,000 academic counsellors who assist with academic needs whenever needed. The quality of learning is not so rich, however, the materials provided are helpful. Only some of my teachers were sincere in their profession, while others were ignorant in nature.

Overall: Indira Gandhi National Open University popularly known as IGNOU is a decent option if you want to pursue a diploma course. The university has more than 35,000 counsellors who will assist you for the academic queries as well as 250 teachers overall. The syllabus is majorly covered through the syllabus that the university provides. The study material of IGNOU is so good that students outside of the university are also always on the lookout to access it. There is no central campus, but you can always contact the regional centres of the university as per your location. Recently, IGNOU has also started to give placement assistance for some courses, and the average placement rate is 70%.

Placement: The placement cell is known as the Campus Placement Cell (CPC). It organises some training sessions from time to time. Companies like Reliance, Aviva, and, Radical Minds are some of the top recruiters of the university. The average placement rate is 80%, and the packages offered are between the range of Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh.

Infrastructure: IGNOU is one of the largest central distance learning universities in the country, but it lacks a central campus. Regional centres are available, but the university lacks a central campus. Some of the facilities provided in the regional centres are a library, a computer lab with basic equipment, basic furniture, as well as internet facilities.

Faculty: Teachers and academic counsellors are decent. Many of my teachers were very supportive and were always available to help. They understood the shortcomings of distance learning and tried their best to help us learn well. For examination, you have to give a fee of Rs 120 per exam. I was not so satisfied with the evaluation for the exams. For the majority of subjects, I thought I would score way more than the marks allotted.

Overall: IGNOU offers distance learning programmes that helped me a lot to continue my higher education. I did my graduation from IGNOU and I must say this was a good decision to add value to my resume. I was a housewife and it was tough for me to attend a regular college so I enrolled in the IGNOU.

Placement: It is an open university so there is no such placement process like other universities.  they display all placement-related information on their website, including available jobs and proposed salaries.

Infrastructure: As an open distance learning institution, IGNOU focuses on providing accessible education to a wide range of learners. The lack of a physical campus is one of IGNOU's infrastructure drawbacks. IGNOU lacks a central physical location where students can attend lessons or engage with professors and peers in person, unlike other institutions.

Faculty: The faculties at IGNOU are highly supportive and play a pivotal role in students' academic journeys. At IGNOU, students have the flexibility to attend weekend classes either online or offline, which is a valuable option for learners seeking a more interactive and engaging learning experience.

Hostel: IGNOU does not offer a hostel facility. Students can study from where ever they want. There is no need for hostel in a distant learning programme. But if you want you can opt for PGs or rental homes nearby.

Overall: IGNOU is the best place for those who wish to continue their education without visiting institutes physically. I was appointed as Patwari in MP Govt. and wanted to pursue PGDCA which was necessary for my job role. So, I took up the course from IGNOU in 2021 as I didn’t have time to manage regular classes and job hand in hand. IGNOU is the best open university in India that provides quality distance education. The course structure is so flexible that one can complete it in 6 months. Studying at IGNOU is so convenient that you don’t even have to visit study centres to get study materials. The university sends it by post to your home. Online classes are available through the website and one can also attend classes as per schedule in the nearest study centres. IGNOU has 56 regional centres all over India.

Placement: I came to know about the IGNOU campus placement cell (CPC) through my mentor. Though I was already doing a job, I did not know much about that. However, CPC organises campus placement drives and shares the details regarding job on the website. One can easily register and apply online to appear for the interview.

Infrastructure: IGNOU has a headquarters in Delhi that has adequate infrastructure including a library, a convention centre to conduct lectures, meetings and conferences, and classrooms. Apart from this, the main infrastructure of IGNOU includes the regional centres available in every state and study centre in cities to help students through personal contact programmes and scheduled classes.

Faculty: The faculty of IGNOU are helpful and understand the needs of the students. I met the IGNOU professors in the study centre of Jabalpur. They helped me with the project and its submission. Though I was not able to attend regular classes I watched online tutorials through the website and referred to the books and study materials they provided to pass the exam. The passing percentage of IGNOU is around 40%.

Hostel: There are no hostel facilities available at IGNOU. As it is an open university and most of the students live in their home towns, they visit regional study centres whenever required. So, there is no need for hostels. There are nearly 200 learners support centres in major cities of every state across the country.