Top 10 Online/Distance Learning Colleges/Universities In India – Detailed Information

In today’s modern and continuously evolving world, distance education is not taken up by learners to get a flexible mode of learning; it is seen as one of the ways to practice theoretical concepts in the work field while still pursuing the program. After the expansion of distance learning programs into the education sector of the country, an increase in the number of skilled professionals in the industry has been observed. Distance education in the country has become very popular amongst today’s generation as it allows them to continue their job and pursue their graduation or master’s degree side by side in a distance mode.

As we all know, there are hundreds of distance education universities and private colleges working all over the parts of the country. But it is not easy to decide which one is best. So, to help you out with this confusion, we are going to clear all your doubts by providing the list of the top 10 Distance Education Universities in India.

In this post, you will get an idea of which courses are offered at India’s best distance education colleges, what their fee range is, their official websites, placement packages, and accreditation. But before that, let’s do a quick revision of what distance education is.

What Is Distance Education?

As humans, we always strive to become better, and for that, we come up with some innovative ideas that make our lives easier. If I talk about present scenarios in the industry, we have the power to choose the best from a wide range of possibilities rather than going for the traditional options. For example, if you feel hungry, what would you do? Traditionally speaking, you will have to cook any dish you want, but now, you have the options of Zomato and Swiggy, which give you a plethora of options to choose from and even deliver the dish to you in minutes!

Similar is the case with our education system; if you want to upskill or are planning on pursuing higher education, the traditional option is to join a regular college. But since it cannot be taken up by every aspirant due to time or financial constraints, a better learning mode has been introduced in the education industry by the name of Distance Education Courses or Correspondence Courses.

Distance Education programs allow students to join a bachelor’s or master’s degree program without making them giving up on their family responsibilities, jobs, and other commitments. This way, numerous students from different backgrounds are now able to join their choice of courses at an affordable fee.

List of Top 10 Distance Education Universities in India

In India, there are hundreds of colleges and universities working in the field of distance education learning programs. These institutes provide various UG and PG-level courses for all students and working professionals at low fee ranges. With so many options of institutions, there is a lot of confusion among applicants, and this confusion sometimes leads to the wrong decision! 

To save you from making any wrong decisions about your distance university selection, we are providing a list of the top 10 distance education universities in India. After going through this list, you can easily compare your choices and choose the best one for you!

Now, have a look at the list of Top 10 distance Universities in India given below:

1. IGNOU Distance Learning

In India, one of the most popular and oldest open universities is the Indira Gandhi National Open University. As India’s first national Open University, IGNOU was founded in 1985. You can find hundreds of courses in the list of courses offered by IGNOU at the UG and PG levels. Students get all the advantages in terms of versatility in the length of the courses after obtaining admission to the IGNOU.

The fees paid for the courses are also very low and affordable. All the candidates who are willing to work in the industry and want any technical career can apply for any of the courses in IGNOU, as it is one of the largest distance education universities we have in the country. All the known courses in the Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in India are offered by IGNOU.

Official Website	ignou.ac.in
Location	Delhi
Courses Available	UG, PG, Doctorate, Certificate, and Diplomas
Average Fee Range	INR 10 K to 50 K
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, NIRF 1st Rank in Open University, AIU, WES, NAAC A++
Placement Percentage	70% to 80%
Average Salary Package	INR 3 to 4 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Aviva India, Capgemini, Axis Bank, Magic PIN, etc.

2. School of Open Learning, Delhi University (DU SOL)

The School of Open Learning was established as a constituent college of the University of Delhi in 1962 and is a pioneer in the field of distance education in India. It is one of the largest educational institutions in India. SOL DU is a University of Delhi constituent unit and is approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

For UG and PG programs, DU SOL admission is regulated by the criteria laid down by the University of Delhi. The course curriculum and assessment trends adopted by the School of Open Learning and the other University of Delhi constituent colleges are not distinguished.

Official Website	sol.du.ac.in
Location	Delhi
Courses Available	UG, PG, BLISC, and MLISC
Average Fee Range	UG: INR 7 K to 25 K PG: INR 10 K to 50 K
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, AICTE, AIU, NAAC A++
Placement Percentage	70% to 80%
Average Salary Package	INR 4 to 5 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Tata Power, LG Electronics, Amazon, Axis Bank, ICICI, Nestle, Kotak Mahindra Bank, etc.

3. Netaji Subhas Open University

Netaji Subhas Open University is a government-owned used that was established in 1997 in Kolkata. As per the latest NIRF 2024 rankings, this university ranked 2 under the newly introduced category of “Open Universities.” NSOU offers a variety of UG, PG, PhD, and certificate courses through its 6 schools of study. The Choice-Based Credit System in the evaluation scheme of the university prepares the students for the global competition. The students of the Netaji Subhas Open University have access to its library, which has several books, journals, dissertations, self-learning materials, and other reference books.

Official Website	wbnsou.ac.in
Location	Salt Lake City, Kolkata
Courses Available	UG, PG, Doctorate, and Diplomas
Average Fee Range	INR 10 K to 30 K
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, NAAC A, AICTE, NIRF 2nd Rank in Open University
Placement Percentage	70% to 75%
Average Salary Package	INR 4 to 5 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Cognizant, Amul, ACC, Tata, TCS, Bajaj, Wipro, etc.

4. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University (BAOU)

Babashaeb Ambedkar Open University is one of India’s leading public universities that offers various distance education courses and various other programs for UG and PG. The university has been certified by NAAC for grade “A++,” and UGC-DEB has validated all of its distance education courses. It is a very renowned university that is a member of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), and the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE). BAOU is approved by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and has ranked 3 in the Open University category as per the NIRF 2024 rankings for its top-quality education.

Official Website	baou.edu.in
Location	Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Courses Available	UG, PG, and Diplomas
Average Fee Range	INR 10 K to 40 K
Accreditations	NAAC A++, UGC, AIU, ICDE, AAOU, NCTE
Placement Percentage	Approx. 85%
Average Salary Package	INR 8 to 9 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	HDFC, Concentrix, Tata Motors, Tech Mahindra, etc.

5. NMIMS Distance Education

One of the leading universities in India operating in the field of distance education is the Narsee Monjee Institute for Distance Learning (NMIMS). The Institute of NMIMS was founded in 1981 and has different centers located in different cities.

This NMIMS institution is renowned for its distance learning courses available in different specializations in undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The university provides PGDM, BBA, and B.Com. As it has always been, the students’ first preference is when choosing any of the distance education programs in the management, science, or arts stream. NMIMS is surely one of the most well-established open institutes in this country.

Official Website	online.nmims.edu
Location	Mumbai, Maharashtra
Courses Available	UG, PG, Certificates
Average Fee Range	INR 1 to 2 Lakhs
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, NAAC A+, NIRF
Placement Percentage	80% to 90%
Average Salary Package	INR 5 to 7 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Goldman Sachs, Accenture, Cognizant, Infosys, EY, Aditya Birla Capital, Virtusa, American Express, etc.

6. Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning (SCDL)

Symbiosis Distance Learning College (SCDL) was established in 2001. It has been one of the largest private universities operating for many years in the field of distance education. AICTE has approved the Symbiosis College of Distance Learning (SCDL). And, the distance education courses are granted by UGC-DEB. SCDL offers advanced and high-quality education to thousands of students, not only in India but also abroad. The Symbiosis distance education institute is famous for offering several certificates, diplomas, and postgraduate diplomas along with PG programs across various sectors. This university has a big brand name that is enough to help you in getting a better job in the industry.

Official Website	scdl.net
Location	Pune, Maharashtra
Courses Available	PG, Certificates, Diplomas
Average Fee Range	INR 50 K to 2 Lakhs
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, NAAC A++, NIRF, AICTE
Placement Percentage	80% to 90%
Average Salary Package	INR 7 to 10 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Grid India Power Cable Pvt Ltd, Samsung R&D Institute India Noida, Eprofess, Emxcel Travel Solutions, Rks Agrotech Limited, and Fairfield In etc.

7. LPU Distance Education

Lovely Professional University, one of the largest private universities in India, has been ranked 27th amongst all Government and Private Universities in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and is entitled to offer programs in a distance learning mode.

LPU offers a wide range of UGC-Entitled undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the disciplines of Management, Computer Applications, Commerce, Arts, and Science, for upskilling. The professional programs (MBA and MCA) are also AICTE-approved.

The award-winning Learning management system of LPU Online gives 24/7 access to recorded video lectures, Self-Assessment exercises, and academic resources. LIVE lectures are provided on weekends by renowned University faculty. The LMS offers a seamless learning experience through its Mobile application available on Android and iOS.

LPU distance university offers the same curriculum with the same faculty and quality to its learners as that of its regular programs, thus making it 360 degrees at par with the Regular one. Students are given equal opportunity to participate in university events and to avail themselves of infrastructure and other support.

The Professional Enhancement Programme (PEP) is organized for the students, where they are trained in aptitude, reasoning, soft skills, etc. Students are provided with placement support to help them find suitable job opportunities based on their skills, interests, and experience. To provide Industry exposure to LPU distance students, Masterclasses and Guest lectures are being conducted on weekends by industry experts.

LPU has a dedicated Relationship Management Cell that offers robust post-admission support to its remote learners. The team offers timely solutions to ensure a seamless learning experience.

Official Website	lpude.in
Location	Phagwara, Punjab
Courses Available	UG, PG, Diplomas
Average Fee Range	INR 1 to 2 Lakhs
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, NAAC A++, AICTE, ACBSP, and ACU
Placement Percentage	90% to 95%
Average Salary Package	INR 8 to 9 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Wipro, Sony, Amazon, Reliance, Tata Munich, Apollo Munich, Tata Sky, etc.

8. Amity University Distance Education

Amity University Distance Education in Noida is one of the renowned and well-established private universities in India, in the list of top distance universities, which is also recognized worldwide. Students from different parts of the country will be admitted to Amity University as they have excellent courses at the UG and PG levels. Also, this university is well known for its courses in management and engineering.

Official Website	addoe.amity.edu
Location	Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Courses Available	UG, PG
Average Fee Range	INR 1 to 2 Lakhs
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, NAAC, WES, NIRF, QS World University Rankings
Placement Percentage	Up to 100%
Average Salary Package	INR 5 to 7 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	Wipro, Reliance, Accenture, Sony, Tata Munich, Apollo Munich, Amazon, Tata Sky, etc.

9. Sikkim Manipal University

The course at Sikkim Manipal University is a great choice for students who want a degree in management from one of the country’s top colleges. For the selection of courses, distance education at Sikkim Manipal University is highly popular, and the fee for the courses is also very affordable compared to other regular programs.

So, if you are considering admission to the distance education course, Sikkim Manipal University Education should be one of your choices for admission to the distance education course. Moreover, the courses offered by Sikkim Manipal University have been recognized by UGC-DEB.

Official Website	smude.edu.in
Location	Gangtok, Sikkim
Courses Available	UG, PG
Average Fee Range	INR 80 K to 2.0 Lakhs
Accreditations	UGC-DEB, MCI, AICTE
Placement Percentage	75% to 80%
Average Salary Package	INR 6 to 8 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	American Express, Capgemini, HDFC Realty, Fidelity, Axis Securities, Genpact, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Jet Airways, etc.

10. Karnataka State Open University (KSOU)

The other top institute offering distance education in India is the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), which is a state public university established in 1996. It is one of the leading distance colleges located in Mysuru, Karnataka. It offers various UG, PG, and other programs in different disciplines. In training managers for tomorrow, KSOU has taken the lead, armed them with a distinct vision by equipping them with a blend of technology and concept expertise.

By helping its students learn the requisite skills, the university aims to develop all-around leaders in management and entrepreneurship. Moreover, its MBA program is AICTE-approved.

Official Website	ksoumysuru.ac.in
Location	Mysuru, Karnataka
Courses Available	UG, PG, Diploma, Certificate, and PhD courses
Average Fee Range	INR 25 K to 1 Lakh
Accreditations	UGC, DEC, AICTE (MBA), NAAC A+
Placement Percentage	98%
Average Salary Package	INR 3 to 6 Lakhs
Top Recruiters	ICICI, Automotive Axels, Ferrero Foundries Pvt Ltd., South India Paper Mill Ltd., Sunshine, etc.

Why Should You Choose A Distance Education Program?

Distance Education is a kind of education that has evolved a lot in the last few years. It is a form of education that does not involve daily visits to colleges for taking classes, which allows you to pursue a job in the related domain of your studies while pursuing a distance education course. With advances in technology, e-learning platforms, soft copies of the study materials, and online submission of assignments have also been introduced in the distance learning programs. The classes in distance education programs are scheduled on weekends, in the evening, or on holidays, encouraging students to follow an independent format of learning.

In India, you find several Distance education universities that are offering various types of courses. But, the approval of UGC-DEB, i.e., University Grants Commission Distance Education Board, is compulsory for Indian universities and private colleges as it is the statutory body that regulates the distance education of the country and maintains and makes the guidelines of distance education in India. Moreover, the value of a UGC-DEB-approved distance learning course is equal to a regular degree program as per the guidelines of the UGC.

The mode of distance education provides various courses in different specializations, which is one of the advantages for the students to study the subject according to their interest and eligibility. You can find most of the undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate programs in a distance mode. So, if you are a working professional or a student who wants to pursue a distance program, you should find a suitable university option for your choice of correspondence course.

Conclusion

This blog has a list of the top 10 distance education universities in India that you can choose if you are willing to do a distance course. In this article, we have tried to provide you with a list of the best universities that are providing distance courses. You can get all the approvals, course categories, average fees, and placement percentage of these universities in the blog, and decide on the one more suitable for you. 

Moreover, this blog will help you gain clarity about the funding of colleges (public or private) that are providing open and distance education. We hope that the information provided here adds value to your knowledge and help you in deciding the best distance college in India.