Nalanda Open University is a public distance learning university in the state of Bihar, India. Established in 1987, it has consistently been ranked as one of the leading universities for open and distance learning. With over 80 study centers across India, Nalanda Open University serves more than 300,000 students via its various courses and programmes. The university offers a wide range of courses covering the fields of arts, science, commerce, technology, pharmacy and business administration. 

 

One of the top ten colleges in Bihar that offers a B.Ed. is Nalanda Open University. The University offers both online and offline admission. Prospectuses and application forms can be purchased at the university's sales desk for INR 400. The university website also offers an online application option. Apart from this, it also provides vocational courses that are designed to meet current industry standards. Check NOU Admission 2023

 

The university has more than 475 affiliated colleges and 125 study centers across the state of Bihar for its students to pursue their chosen courses and complete their educational requirements. 

   

Nalanda Open University Course & Fees 

 

Nalanda Open University offers a wide range of courses such as; undergraduate degree program in Arts, Science & Commerce, postgraduate degree programs such as MBA & MCA, PG diploma courses such as PG Diploma in Computer Applications, Advanced Certificate Courses (ACCs), Mini Certificate Courses (MCCs), Master Degree Programs like M.Tech etc along with other professional programmes.

The fees for these programmes vary from INR 8500/- to 30 Lacs approximately depending upon course, duration & institute type whether it's college or Centre of Distance Education (CODE). 

B.A

Fees  INR 9,500/-
Eligibility 10+2 qualification with any stream
Selection Criteria Merit based on qualifying exam
Duration  3 Years
Intake As per seat availability 

Check NOU BA Admission 

 

B.Sc

 
Fees  INR 11,000/-
Eligibility 10+2 qualification with any stream
Selection Criteria Merit based and entrance based
Duration  3 Years
Intake As per seat availability 

Check Nalanda Open University B.Sc Admission 

 

MBA

 
Fees  INR 12,500/-
Eligibility Bachelor Degree with 50% or above Marks 
Selection Criteria Entrance Exam 
Duration  2 Years 
Intake As per seat availability 
 

LLB

 
Fees  INR 15,000/-
Eligibility Bachelor Degree with 45% or above Marks 
Selection Criteria Written Test and Personal Interview
Duration  3 Years
Intake 100 students per batch
 

PhD

 
Fees  INR 25,000/-
Eligibility Master’s degree having at least 55% marks on aggregate /CGPA 5.5
Selection Criteria Merit /Entrance Test/ Interview Performance
Duration  3 Years
Intake 10 seats per year
 

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NOU Cut Off 

 

The cut-off for admission into Nalanda Open University (NOU) depends on various factors such as candidate’s performance in qualifying exams, category and availability of seats under each course etc. 

Generally cut-off list is released separately for each course offered by the university after completion of counseling process usually 1 month after declaration of final result by Board/University or entrance examination conducted by NOU itself related to respective course taken up by applicant which consists date of examination along with cut-off marks required to be eligible for further processes regarding admission into respective course/programme offered by 

 
Name of the Course Minimum Eligibility Cutoff (%)
BA in Sociology  45%
B.Com in Business Administration  70%
BBA 55%
MA in English 60%
M.Sc. in Mathematics 56%
 
 

Admission into Nalanda Open University can either be done online through direct registration at the official website(nouonline.net) or it can be done through offline mode. 

Candidates seeking NOU Admission for any courses need to follow this step mentioned below :

  • Visit the official website of Nalanda Open University.
  • On the home page "Student tab" would appear. Open the tab and then click on admissions.
  • A new window will appear. Click on the "Apply online" option.
  • Next, you need to choose the "Admission application form" option.
  • From the drop-down menu choose the UG/PG option.
  • Fill out the form, and upload the picture and signature.
  • Pay the application fee online via Net banking, Debit, or credit card.

The application fees for UG courses are INR 5000 for General and OBC, and INR 400 for ST/SC.

Check NOU Admission 

Nalanda Open University Placements 

Nalanda Open University has a separate Placement Cell which is well established to help the students maximize their employability skills and get placed in some of the reputed companies of the country. The university provides internship opportunities to its students after the completion of their coursework which help them get real industry exposure. The highest package offered to students at Nalanda Open University was INR 5 LPA while the average package was INR 2.5 LPA. 

Some of the top recruiters who have provided placements to students at Nalanda Open University are:

  • Indus Tower Ltd.
  • TCS Ltd.
  • SBI Cards Ltd.
  • AffordPlan Pvt. Ltd.
  • Yes Bank Ltd.
  • Cube Wealth Pvt. Ltd. etc. 
 

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Nalanda Open University Campus Life And Events 


The university strives to create an engaging campus life through various events, activities and volunteer opportunities.

Academic Programs- The university organizes regular academic programs such as workshops, lectures, seminars and conferences giving students ample opportunities to stay ahead in their fields of study. Such engaged interactions build confidence and self-awareness of the student while also presenting them with a sense of belonging in the community. During special occasions like festivals, celebrations like cultural programs put together by the students keep everyone enthralled with joy and enthusiasm. 

Social Clubs- Moreover, Nalanda Open University also provides a platform for students to volunteer for social causes such as environment conservation, running health campaigns or championing women safety initiatives. This gives them an opportunity to gain real world experience and develop leadership skills that stay with them even after completion of their studies at the university. 

Extra-Curricular Activities- Many extra-curricular activities are held throughout the year at Nalanda Open University which includes events such as sports meets or art exhibitions hosted by individual departments or student clubs/societies making it an ideal platform for networking ease between peers and creating lifelong memories among campus dwellers. Students are encouraged to showcase their talents thus allowing development of creativity, imagination and collaboration abilities within themselves as well as fostering camaraderie amongst peers while they strive towards reaching common goals.. 

Nalanda Open University continuously strives hard in creating a vibrant campus life filled with knowledge sharing, energetic debates while having immense fun.

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Nalanda Open University Alumni List 

  • Dr. Jagannath Mahapatra (Retired IAS Officer and Administrator - Former Vice-Chancellor, Nalanda Open University)
  • Prof. Arun Kumar Sinha (Former Vice-Chancellor and Education Activist)
  • Dr. Suresh Chandra Sharma (Education Entrepreneur and Former Chairperson - Institute of Science & Technology, Patna).
  • Mr. Madan Jha (IAS Officer – Elusive Goal for the youth of India) 
  • Dr. Prasad Rao Patankar (ICT Educator, writer, inventor & CEO of Educomp Solutions Ltd.) 
  • Dr Sachin Kumar Sharma (Senior Director - Logitech Asia Pacific, Singapore; Former Centre Head at Bangalore Operations, Samsung India Software Operations Pvt Ltd)
  • Mr Sanjeev Mahendera (HR Consultant – Learning Reason Technologies Pvt Ltd) 
  • Mr Neeraj Jain (Deputy Manager - Grasim Industries Limited) 
  • Rachana Yamdagni (IT Project Manager – Microsoft Corporation India Pvt Ltd.) 
  • Ms Simran Kalra (Founder and CEO –Women Event Planners Network India).

Check How is Nalanda Open University?

 

Nalanda Open University Rankings 

 

Nalanda Open University was established in 1987 and it is currently ranked among the top open universities in India, according to various external ranking bodies.

Ranking Body Year  Ranking
National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2019 66th
The Week Hansa Research Survey 2018 4th
All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2017 12th
Quality Council of India (QCI) - 1st
Careers 360 2017 & 2018 A++
Outlook-ICARE India University Rankings 2020 63rd
 

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Nalanda Open University Scholarship 

 

Nalanda Open University offers a range of scholarships to financially aid its students. One such scholarship is the "Merit cum Means Based Scholarship Scheme (MMS)", which has been designed to support economically backward and meritorious students in order to help them pursue ongoing education.

Name of the Scholarship: Merit cum Means Based Scholarship Scheme (MMS) 

Who is eligible: Any student seeking admission into Nalanda Open University and having their family income under INR 6 lakhs per annum can apply for this scholarship. Eligibility criteria also include securing a minimum aggregate score of 45% in the qualifying examination. 

How to avail: In order to avail this scholarship, interested students need to fill an online application form available on the Nalanda Open University website along with uploading copies of relevant documents supporting the information provided in the form. After successfully submitting the form and documents, it should be submitted at the respective regional center/ Study Centre where the student has taken admission for further processing. Post submission, suitable candidates will be shortlisted based on their academic performance & financial background determination process. The sanctioned amount will be directly deposited in successful applicants’ bank accounts after due formalities within a period of one month from the date of approval by NOU’s Admission Committee.

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Nalanda Open University Departments

 

Nalanda Open University (NOU) consists of six academic departments that offer a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in the fields of Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, Computer Applications and Education. These departments are committed to providing quality education and developing professional competencies.

College/Department 
1. School of Humanities & Social Sciences 
2. School of Science & Technology 
3. School of Education, Extension & Training 
4. School of Commerce & Management Studies 
5. Centre for Distance Education and e-Learning 
6. Department of Applied Sciences 
7. Department of Information Technology and Computer Applications 
8. Department of Library and Information Sciences 
 

Check Is Nalanda open university better than IGNOU?

 

Nalanda Open University FAQs

Ques. Does Nalanda Open University provide counseling Services ? 

Ans. Yes , Special counselors always remain present in campus as well as guidance seminars over phone calls/eMails every month related to Career Guidance /Right fit selection Of groups NCERT Syllabus other Academic activities that serve relationship between student faculty.

Ques. Are international students eligible to apply for courses offered at NOU? 

Ans.Yes, International students from SAARC or non-SAARC countries are eligible to apply for courses offered at the university provided they fulfill the eligibility criteria set for them by their respective country’s government.

Ques. Does Nalanda Open University provide distance learning options? 

Ans.Yes, NOU provides distance learning options through either hard-copy or soft-copy course materials with examinations conducted at centers across Bihar and other states of India for certain courses. 

Ques. Are there any specializations available within each course? 

Ans. Yes, some courses offer additional specialized areas of study within their respective majors–ranging from health care management to banking and insurance management, biotechnology and other specific IT fields depending on the program chosen by the student.

Ques Does NOU offer support services such as career counseling ? 

Ans. Yes, all students enrolled at NOU can access career guidance services offered throughout the academic year which include advice on job search strategies & techniques as well as tips on how to prepare for interviews and other applicable industry skill development offered through its Centers Aspire Coaching Department (CACD).

Ques. Is financial aid/scholarships available through NOU ?

Ans.Yes –various types of scholarship schemes such as Merit Scholarship Schemes (for academically outstanding students),need-based scholarships & more are run by the State Government across India which are accessible to students enrolled at NOU .

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Ques. What is the fee structure like ?

Ans.The tuition fees vary from program to program depending upon duration , type (regular/distance )& mode( full time/ part time ). Special fees may also apply for certain diploma / certificate programs ,study tours among others .

Check NOU Courses & Fees 

Ques. Can I do two courses simultaneously ? 

Ans. No, simultaneous enrolment in two different programs isn’t permissible since it would be next to impossible to cover both course workloads without compromising either one's standards or quantity of work done – hence only one course option should preferably be taken up per semester for optimal performance output .

Ques. Why Nalanda Open University?

Ans. NOU has very few fees which makes it affordable for the poor students. And, study material of the university is also easy and precise.

Ques. Are there any Scholarships for students at Nalanda Open University?

Ans. No, the university does not provide any scholarships to students because the fee is very less and affordable. But moving towards women empowerment, NOU gives a 25% fee concession for female students in all courses.

Ques. Any accommodation near Nalanda Open University?

Ans. The university does not provide any accommodation to students, but there are PG for boys and girls ranging between 5,000-7,000 INR with food and WIFI. Accommodations are single sharing and double sharing.

Ques. I have a degree in distance learning from Nalanda Open University, am I eligible for UPSC?

Ans. Yes, as the UPSC guideline mentions that students must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized board/University, you are eligible to appear in the UPSC exam. Nalanda Open University is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC), Distance Education Council (DEC), and Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India.