IGNOU has been at the forefront of higher education in India when it comes to distance and online learning. If we talk about fresh enrollment, around 13 lakh students enrolled (Fresh and Re-registration included) in the 2022 - 23 academic year. The reach of the university, no doubt, is catering to its intended audience. So do students benefit from an IGNOU degree when it comes to jobs and career growth? Before we answer this, let us see the students profile of IGNOU of those who enrolled fresh in 2022-23.
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The 2022–23 IGNOU enrolment data reveals balanced gender participation, almost equal urban–rural representation, and a good enrollment number from social and special categories.
| Category | Sub Category | Students | Percentage Share |
|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 3,65,780 | 51.30% |
Female | 3,47,681 | 48.70% | |
Region | Urban | 3,49,179 | 48.90% |
Rural | 3,55,364 | 49.80% | |
Tribal | 8,967 | 1.30% | |
Social Category | General | 3,67,176 | 51.5% |
OBC | 1,95,368 | 27.4% | |
SC | 90,316 | 12.7% | |
ST | 45,542 | 6.4% | |
EWS | 1,5108 | 2.1 | |
Special Category | PWDS | 4227 | - |
Jail Inmates | 11089 | - |
IGNOU’s 2022–23 batch reflects diversity and inclusivity. Women form 48.7 per cent of new enrolments, while rural learners slightly outnumber urban students. Socially, over half belong to the general category, with OBC, SC, and ST learners making up a significant share. IGNOU also provides higher education to 4,227 students with disabilities and supports over 11,000 jail inmates, strengthening its role in making higher education accessible to all.
In the academic year 2022-23, around 1.45 lakhs employed learners took admission in the university across various levels of programmes. If we look at the five-year trend, there has been a steady increase in the number of employed learners.
| Year | Employed learners |
|---|---|
2018–19 | 1,06,070 |
2019–20 | 2,28,049 |
2020–21 | 1,30,129 |
2021–22 | 1,39,384 |
2022–23 | 1,44,561 |
If we look at the data, we can see that over a period of time, there has been a steady rise in the number of employed learners who have enrolled themselves for various IGNOU courses. IGNOU’s flexible approach to learning has allowed learners to pursue their higher education while still working.
Let us have a look at the placement data that is available to answer this question. At IGNOU, the promise of flexible learning is working well with the kind of job opportunities that are available. IGNOU conducts placement drives to place students passing out. However, owing to distance, students participating in such drives seem limited. In 2022-23, IGNOU conducted eight placement drives. These placement drives show a steady rise in success rates, with the placement rate moving from 21 per cent in 2021–22 to 30 per cent in 2022–23.
| Dates | Location | Participants | Selected | Placement Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4 August, 2022 | New Delhi | 506 | 133 | 26% |
12 October, 2022 | New Delhi | 480 | 168 | 35% |
29 November, 2022 | New Delhi | 178 | 42 | 24% |
15 February, 2023 | New Delhi | 271 | 93 | 34% |
29 April, 2023 | Varanasi | 150 | 31 | 20% |
28 May, 2023 | Patna | 43 | 9 | 21% |
11 June, 2023 | Ranchi | - | 15 | - |
Total | – | 1,628 | 491 | 30% |
The participation in placement drives has also seen a growth of 27 per cent compared to the previous year. This growth indicates IGNOUs participation with its students and recruiters and its growing reach, thus providing more opportunities to sit for placements.
Globiva | AIR India SATS | APTARA |
ICICI Finzcare | Nature Om | Flipkart |
Girnar Soft | InsuranceDekho.com | SBI Life |
There are several ways in which IGNOU helps the students with career growth. The university organised Career Awareness Sessions wherein industry experts shared their insights and viewpoints on career planning and skill requirements. IGNOU also holds Job Support Programmes on campus where students are taught how to create their CV, job portal usage, and preparation for the interview.
There are over 59,000 registered users on the alumni portal, where learners can access mentorship, networking opportunities, and career insights. In 2022–23, 13 Alumni Meets connected students with successful professionals in various fields.
With awareness, training, and alumni support, IGNOU ensures its students are career-ready and prepared to pursue job opportunities.
Note: 8 students attended the in-person job-support series on Mar 28–29, 2023.
An IGNOU degree truly supports career growth. Placements improved from 21 per cent to 30 per cent with more recruiters offering opportunities. Learners also saw improvement in their Careers. The table below highlights learners with existing employment benefitted after an IGNOU degree. This was out of an internal survey done by IGNOU on its students with work experience.
| Career Impact | Percentage | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
Job Promotion | 42% | 42% of respondents received a promotion after engaging with the program. |
Salary Increase | 38% | 38% experienced a salary increase, reflecting financial benefits. |
Role Change to Preferred Field | 33% | 33% switched to roles in their desired fields, achieving career goals. |
Enhanced Job Security | 46% | 46% reported better job security, showing increased value in their roles. |
Entrepreneurial Ventures Started | 8% | 8% started their businesses, indicating entrepreneurial outcomes. |
Flexible learning draws working professionals, while career sessions, job-support workshops, and alumni networking add value. Many students achieved promotions, salary hikes, and job security making IGNOU a strong choice for career advancement.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Yes, both the D.EL.Ed from NIOS (2017-19) and the BA from IGNOU are likely valid. The Supreme Court of India has recognized the NIOS D.EL.Ed program as a valid qualifications for the teaching positions, particularly for in-service teachers who were in service as of August 10, 2017.
I hope it will clear your query!!
Yes, a B.Com degree is eligible for the IGNOU B.Ed entrance test, but with conditions. You must have a bachelor's or master's degree in Commerce, Science, Social Science, or Humanities with at least 50% marks (or 45% for reserved categories). You also need to be a trained in-service teacher in elementary education or have completed an NCTE-recognized teacher education program through face-to-face mode.
Hello,
Thank you for your question!
IGNOU does not offer MSc Zoology as a regular program.
IGNOU mainly provides MSc in Life Science, Environmental Science, and other distance learning programs, but Zoology (regular specialization) is not available. If you want to pursue MSc Zoology, you’ll have to look at state universities like MDU Rohtak, Kurukshetra University, DU, BHU, AMU, etc.
All the best!
Hello Niharika,
Not qualifying for Delhi’s D.El.Ed. isn’t the end of your teaching career plans. Haryana’s D.El.Ed. is recognized by NCTE and is a valid route to becoming a primary school teacher. Many students from outside Haryana apply and get admission, though you should note that some seats are reserved for Haryana domicile candidates. Your plan to do B.A. from IGNOU alongside D.El.Ed. is very smart—it keeps you academically progressing and later makes you eligible for B.Ed., which will open doors for teaching in higher classes as well. Make sure you check the Haryana Board’s eligibility criteria before applying and confirm if your preferred institute offers quality teaching practice and internships. Good faculty and practical exposure during D.El.Ed. matter a lot for skill development. Overall, this is a good alternative and keeps you on track toward your long-term goal.
Thank you, and I hope this clears your doubt.
Your 10th and 12th certificates have Shaikh at the beginning, but your Aadhaar and bank have it at the end. IGNOU used the Aadhaar name, so your graduation name doesn’t match school records, and even ABC ID isn’t linking.
It's better to match your graduation name with your 10th and 12th, since those are used for most verifications. You can update your Aadhaar later using an affidavit and supporting documents. This will avoid issues in jobs and higher studies.
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