IGNOU has always meant flexibility, inclusivity, and access to higher education for all. With over 3.5 million cumulative learners, it is the world’s largest open university. But today, a shift is unfolding. IGNOU students are not just studying; they are landing jobs, launching start-ups, and moving up the career ladder. From aviation and publishing to edtech and IT, recruiters are noticing IGNOU students. Placements are no longer a side story; they are becoming part of IGNOU’s identity.
This Story also Contains
In 2022-23, IGNOU’s Campus Placement Cell organised seven placement campaigns across its headquarters and regional centres. Some prominent recruiters include Globiva, Aptara, Air India STATS, Breeze Immigration, and Tech2Globe.
This shows that open university learners, often overlooked in traditional cycles, are now finding jobs through placements, just like their campus peers.
The real story lies in the numbers. The data submitted by IGNOU to the NIRF 2025 rankings captures how students across various programmes are performing in placements and higher education.
Program | Year | Admitted | Graduated | Placed | Median Salary | Higher Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UG 1 Year | 2021-22 | 10862 | 826 | 65 | Rs.2.5 LPA | 500 |
UG 1 Year | 2022-23 | 13003 | 963 | 75 | Rs.2.5 LPA | 575 |
UG 1 Year | 2023-24 | 15901 | 7208 | 577 | Rs. 2.85 LPA | 4325 |
UG 3 Years | 2019-20 intake / 2021-22 grad | 325418 | 19668 | 1575 | Rs. 2.88 LPA | 11800 |
UG 3 Years | 2020-21 intake / 2022-23 grad | 343537 | 25515 | 2040 | Rs. 3.36 LPA | 15300 |
UG 3 Years | 2021-22 intake / 2023-24 grad | 336069 | 81769 | 6542 | Rs. 3.50 LPA | 49062 |
In 2023–24, outcomes from the 2022–23 intake highlight IGNOU’s growing role in both employability and academic progression. In the UG 1-year programme, 13,003 students were admitted, with 963 graduating; 75 secured placements with a median salary of Rs 2.5 LPA, while 575 opted for higher studies.
The UG 3-year programme reflected a much larger scale, with 3,36,069 admissions leading to 81,769 graduates; of these, 6,542 were placed at a median salary of Rs. 3.5 LPA, and 49,062 advanced to higher education.
This means that a UG programme here not only prepares you for jobs but also opens pathways for advanced education and career growth.
| Program | Year | Admitted | Graduated | Placed | Median Salary (Rs.) | Higher Studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PG 1 Year | 2021-22 | 1728 | 297 | 180 | Rs.2.88 LPA | 25 |
PG 1 Year | 2022-23 | 1781 | 421 | 250 | Rs. 3.36 LPA | 35 |
PG 1 Year | 2023-24 | 2218 | 967 | 580 | Rs. 3.5 LPA | 77 |
PG 2 Years | 2020-21 intake / 2021-22 grad | 227083 | 31292 | 18750 | Rs. 2.88 LPA | 2,500 |
PG 2 Years | 2021-22 intake / 2022-23 grad | 232508 | 39524 | 23715 | Rs. 3.36 LPA | 3150 |
PG 2 Years | 2022-23 intake / 2023-24 grad | 257977 | 45945 | 15989 | Rs. 3.50 LPA | 2132 |
Placements in PG programmes have been consistent, with salaries steadily rising. Although the number of placed graduates dipped slightly in 2023–24, the salary packages improved. The median salaries improved from Rs. 3.36 LPA to Rs. 3.5 LPA.
This highlights IGNOU’s strengthening role in enhancing employability and opening diverse pathways for its learners.
Jobs today demand more than degrees; they require skills and networking. IGNOU closes this gap with career-building initiatives.
Career Awareness Sessions: These sessions are conducted with UNICEF YuWaah, with primary focus on CV writing, interviews, and career planning.
Alumni Meets: Around 13 alumni meets took place in 2022-23, which helped the current students get in touch with over 18 lakh alumni.
Job Support Programmes: These programmes primary objective is to strengthen employability skills by offering CV preparation guidance, support in applying for jobs on portals and Interview preparation sessions.
So for students, this is highly advantageous as this helps in networking, mentorship and confidence building, which happen to be crucial aspects that will help them get a good job and remain competitive in the job market.
IGNOU is broadening its role from teaching to fostering entrepreneurship. Its students won at the Smart India Hackathon 2022, reaffirming this shift. The IGNOU Innovation and Startup Policy (IISP) now provides mentoring, resources, and structured support next-generation entrepreneurs. Along with the Institution Innovation Council and the IGNOU Innovation Club, the university is building a culture of creativity and enterprise, offering students the opportunity to turn their ideas into scalable ventures. All this while the students continue their higher education from IGNOU.
The diversity of recruiters at IGNOU highlights its broad academic reach. From Edtech firms such as Globiva to aviation players such as Air India SATS and Breeze Immigration, opportunities span teaching, logistics, and operations. Publishing and IT companies like Aptara and Tech2Globe also hire IGNOU students for roles in content, data, and technology sectors.
While undergraduate enrollment remains strong, only a small portion progress to higher studies, though this is improving in recent years. In the Academic year 2021 -22.
For postgraduates, enrollment is stable, but very few pursue further education, suggesting most PG students transition directly to the workforce rather than continuing education.
If you are studying at IGNOU or planning to join, there are three key takeaways. First, placements are real and steadily growing, with students securing jobs and seeing rising salary trends.
Second, the university’s support goes beyond education through initiatives like UNICEF workshops and alumni mentoring, d ue to which students gain valuable career skills.
Finally, IGNOU offers various pathways to shape their future on their own terms. This is in the form of jobs, higher studies or entrepreneurship.
Placements at IGNOU are no longer the secondary objective of the students. With thousands of students placed, recruiters from across the industries are participating in the recruitment process, and salaries are also gradually rising. IGNOU is proving that open and distance learning can be an optional pathway to careers
On Question asked by student community
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.
Hello, Yes, IGNOU has a policy for "External Credit Transfer" (ECT), but it is extremely specific. You can transfer a maximum of 50% of the total program credits (e.g., up to 50-60 credits for a ~120 credit BCA program) from another recognized university like Andhra University, provided you have not completed the degree there.
However, this is not a simple lateral entry. The transfer is done on a course-by-course basis, not a year-by-year basis. You must first take admission as a new, 1st-year student in IGNOU's BCA program. After your admission is confirmed, you must apply for credit transfer by submitting your Andhra University marksheets, the detailed syllabus of every subject you passed, and a fee. The IGNOU faculty will then manually compare your old syllabus to their current one. They will only grant you an exemption for the specific IGNOU courses that are a very close match in content and credit weight. You will then have to study and pass all the remaining courses to get the IGNOU degree.
I hope your confusion is cleared and you found this information helpful. For any study related queries you can ask in the Careers360 app. Have a great day!
Hi,
It is likely that the admission for BPP in not open for the upcoming session. While IGNOU is taking admission for many other programmes, the BPP is seems to be either paused or not currently accepting new admissions. You can check the official website of IGNOU to confirm it. It is not open for the session of July session, but you can keep an eye out for the January session as many programmes have two sessions.
Hello,
If you are pursuing your master’s from IGNOU (January 2025 batch), you will become eligible to get into M.Phil. or Ph.D. programme only after completing your master’s degree successfully with the required minimum percentage which is (usually 55%).
However, you should know that as per the latest UGC regulations, M.Phil. programmes have been discontinued in most of the universities across India, and admissions are now being offered directly to the Ph.D. programmes based on NET/JRF scores or university entrance tests.
Hope You Understand.
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