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 aspirant,
Yes, IGNOUs PG Diploma in Geriatric Medicine is usually offered and continues to run as part of its medical and health sciences programmes. For the 2026 cycle , IGNOU generally opens admissions i jaunary and july sessions , and you can check official IGNOU prospectus or student portal for the exact status and last dates . You should contact the IGNOU regional centre or visit their website to confirm if the current session admissions are open.
FOR REFERENCE : https://www.careers360.com/university/indira-gandhi-national-open-university-new-delhi/courses
Hope the details will help you.
THANK YOU
Hello
Yes, you can do an IGNOU B.Ed (distance mode) along with a regular M.Sc from another university at the same time.
UGC rules now allow students to pursue two degree courses simultaneously.
One course should preferably be in distance/ODL mode and the other in regular mode, which fits your case.
Both degrees will be considered valid, provided you meet the eligibility criteria for each course. You will need to manage your classes, exams, and schedules on your own. It’s always best to confirm once with IGNOU and your M.Sc university before final admission.
Having currently doing the PGDMCH from IGNOU, the eligibility for you to take the DNB PDCET after the completion of your ongoing diploma course to obtain a secondary degree might modify. You can check out the latest requirements and eligibility criteria for the DNB PDCET follow the given link
Hello,
You cannot directly transfer your M.Com admission from IGNOU to Jain University. IGNOU and Jain University follow different systems, so credit transfer between them is usually not allowed.
If you want to study at Jain University, you will need to take fresh admission there. You can, however, check with Jain University if they accept credit transfer or lateral entry from IGNOU, though this is very rare.
So, most likely, you will have to take new admission in M.Com at Jain University and start again from the first year.
Hope it helps !
Hello,
Yes, you can transfer your BCA credits from Andhra University to IGNOU through the External Credit Transfer (ECT) process.
Steps you may follow.
Your final IGNOU degree is valid for UPSC and all government jobs, as IGNOU is UGC and AIU-recognized.
Hope you understand.
Among top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026
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B.Sc (Hons) Admissions 2026 Now Open | Ranked Among the Top 100 Universities in the World by QS World University Rankings 2025
Ranked #45 Among Universities in India by NIRF | 1950+ Students Placed, 91% Placement, 800+ Recruiters
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