Top 10 Distance Learning Universities in India – Distance learning has become a high-demanding option in India because of various potential reasons. Professionals or a person involved in a job cannot leave their jobs so if they wish to pursue their higher education always choose distance learning education. Due to such a demand, the number of distance learning universities in India continuously increases with each passing year.
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While there is an endless list of universities available today that offers distance learning education to students across India, it is essential to get to know the best ones. So, here is a list of the top 10 distance learning universities in India. The student can explore this list without skipping any of the institutes so that it can be easier for you to select one of them to start further studies with distance learning.
IGNOU
When you talk about the best distance-learning university in India, the very first name that comes to mind is IGNOU. Indira Gandhi National Open University was started in the year 1985 and since then it has been offering distance learning education to a wide number of students across the country. IGNOU is not just the best distance-learning university in India but is also the latest distance-learning university in the world. Headquartered in New Delhi, IGNOU offers as many as 295 general, professional, and vocational courses to students under different programs such as BCom, BA, BEd, MBA, Ph.D., and many others.
| Name of the University | IGNOU |
| Affiliation | UGC, NAAC, AICTE |
| Headquarter | New Delhi, India |
| Official Website | http://www.ignou.ac.in |
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DU SOL
If you are aware of Delhi University, you must be also aware of its School of Open Learning too. DU SOL is one of the largest distance-learning universities in India, similar to IGNOU. Though it does not offer a vast number of courses when compared to IGNOU, DU SOL is known to offer some of the basic programs for students. Students interested in taking admission to any of the courses offered by DU SOL can directly do so by visiting the official portal of the university.
| Name of the University | DU SOL |
| Affiliation | UGC, NAAC |
| Headquarter | New Delhi, India |
| Official Website | https://sol.du.ac.in |
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Symbiosis International University
Established in 2001, Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning has become one of the finest universities that have been offering distance learning education to students. It is a distance learning part of the very famous Symbiosis Institute of Business and Management. The university is known for its high-quality education standard in offering diploma, post-diploma, and certificate courses in various specializations such as Banking and Finance, Business Management, Supply Chain Management, Insurance Management, International Business, and many others. One of the major reasons why many students aim to get admission to Symbiosis is because of the university’s partnership with some of the best companies such as Airtel, Cipla, Bharti Walmart, Aditya Birla, and so on.
| Name of the University | Symbiosis Center for Distance Learning |
| Affiliation | UGC, AICTE |
| Headquarter | Pune, India |
| Official Website | https://www.scdl.net |
Annamalai University
Annamalai University is one of the oldest universities in Southern India. Not just this university has been ranked among the best universities in India but also has been ranked as one of the best Asian universities for distance learning. Accredited under UGC-DEB, Annamalai University is one such university for distance learning that is trusted by many students not just in terms of education but also for the sake of getting better career opportunities.
| Name of the University | Annamalai University |
| Affiliation | UGC, NAAC, AICTE, NCTE |
| Headquarter | Annamalai Nagar |
| Official Website | https://audde.in |
ICFAI
If you are from a financial background and wish to continue with your higher studies along with your career, ICFAI is one of the best universities that you can definitely choose. Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts or better known as ICFAI is one of the best-known distance learning institutes today for not just financial students but also for those students who wish to gain an education in computer science. Moreover, the university focuses highly on students from financial and computer backgrounds who wish to pursue higher students without compromising their professional life.
| Name of the University | Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India |
| Affiliation | UGC, NAAC, AICTE |
| Headquarter | Hyderabad India |
| Official Website | https://www.icfaiuniversity.in |
Manipal University Jaipur
Manipal University Jaipur is once again one of the best universities in India offering distance learning education. The university is UGC-recognized and has brought a revolution in the Indian distance learning market. Better known by the short name MUJ, the university offers a wide range of courses in different programs such as Business Administration, Mass Communication, Computer Applications, and many others. The university also offers career counseling and recruitment facilities to the students as it welcomes different well-known companies such as Bajaj and TCS for their recruitment drive.
| Name of the University | Manipal University Jaipur |
| Affiliation | UGC, NAAC |
| Headquarter | Jaipur, India |
| Official Website | https://www.onlinemanipal.com |
IMT Distance Learning Institute
IMT is also known as one of the topmost distance learning institutes in India. The university combines theoretical education with extra skills that are perfect for entrepreneurs and managers. The university is known to offer postgraduate courses in different options such as Financial Management, Marketing Management, Human Resource Management, and many others. Students graduating from IMT also get the facility of recruitment and 34 LPA was the highest salary package in 2021.
| Name of the University | IMT |
| Affiliation | AICTE |
| Headquarter | Ghaziabad, India |
| Official Website | https://www.imtcdl.ac.in |
Amity University
Amity University has been there in the world of education for the last 27 years and the university celebrates its existence in as many as 135 countries across the world. The university is accredited by NAAC and offers a lot of courses for the students such as MBA, BCA, PG Diploma, and so on. Amity is known to be one of the topmost universities in different parts of the world because of its high-quality education system.
| Name of the University | Amity University ODL |
| Affiliation | UGC |
| Headquarter | Noida, India |
| Official Website | http://addoe.amity.edu |
NMIMS Global Access School
Recognized by UGC, NMIMS is said to be one of the best universities for professional students. It has been ranked as a university in Category 1 in the year 2018. Some of the essential courses that are offered at NMIMS are business analytics, digital marketing, and finance. Apart from offering distance learning, the university also offers recruitment to students as NMIMS has partnered with some of the leading companies. Apart from theoretical education, the university also offers industry-led faculties to impart knowledge to the students.
| Name of the University | NMIMS |
| Affiliation | NAAC & UGC |
| Headquarter | Mumbai, India |
| Official Website | https://online.nmims.edu |
Jamia Malia Ismalia University
Jamia Malia Ismalia University is one of the most popular universities in India for its quality learning and professional courses. The university also offers a distance learning section for students who cannot study in regular sessions. The university has gained accreditation by NAAC and offers diverse courses like B.Ed, B.Com, MBA, and others.
| Name of the University | Jamia Milia Ismalia Distance Learning |
| Affiliation | UGC-DEB, NAAC, & NCTE |
| Headquarter | New Delhi, India |
| Official Website | https://www.jmi.ac.in/studyatjamia/distancelearning |
While the above-mentioned are the top 10 distance learning universities, the list does not just end here. There are several other distance-learning universities available too that are known for their diverse courses, great management, and quality learning. Netaji Subhas Open University, Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University, Madhya Pradesh Bhoj University, JECRC University, Karnataka State Open University, IITB, and the University of Madras are some of the names to list.
Top 10 Distance Universities in India: FAQs
Q1. Is distance learning different from Open School?
Answer: Open School is a special school where candidates of any age can take admission and attend classes. But in Distance Learning, there is no such need to attend classes and students can pursue their desired programs online.
Q2. What are the benefits of Distance Learning?
Answer: One of the biggest benefits of distance learning is that students can pursue their desired higher education course without compromising their professional life. Also, you can pursue more than one course simultaneously.
Q3. Is Distance Learning as recognized as a regular college?
Answer: Recently, UGC has mentioned that the distance learning universities that are UGC-recognized will be held equivalent to any regular college degree. Also, most important distance learning universities today offer facilities such as recruitment drives and similar others to students that are equivalent to a regular college.