Correspondence courses in India are now called open and distance learning (ODL). You study at home from the university's self-learning material and write exams at its centres, without daily classes. A degree earned this way is valid when UGC's Distance Education Bureau lists the university and programme for your session. Engineering, medicine, law and a few other fields cannot be studied this way.
Correspondence courses today: what changed
The old picture of correspondence study was lessons arriving by post. The format survives, but under rules. UGC regulates it through the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, notified on 4 September 2020, and every university that offers it must be on the Distance Education Bureau's list for that year and programme.
| Point | Distance (ODL), the old correspondence mode | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Study material | Self-learning material in print or e-form; the regulations say this does not mean textbooks or guide books | Self-learning e-modules: e-text, video lectures, virtual classes, quizzes |
| Where you study | At home, with occasional contact sessions | On the university's learning platform |
| Exams | At centres, within the university's territorial jurisdiction | Secure online or proctored exams |
| Legal standing | Equivalent to the regular degree when the programme is recognised | Same |
Our guide to distance education vs online education explains the two modes in more detail.
Is a correspondence degree valid?
Yes, if the programme is recognised. Regulation 22 of UGC's 2020 regulations treats degrees and PG diplomas earned through ODL or online mode from a recognised institution as equivalent to the same awards in conventional mode. The same regulations say that if you join while a programme is recognised, your admission stays recognised until you finish, even if the university's recognition lapses later.
Equivalence is the starting point. Each employer or exam body still writes its own eligibility, so read the job or exam notification. Our guide to online and distance degree validity covers government jobs and higher studies.
Courses you cannot do by correspondence
UGC's public notice of August 2020 lists the domains that are prohibited in distance and online mode:
Engineering. A correspondence or online B.Tech is not valid; see our guide to B.Tech distance education for the legal route if you work
Medicine, Dental, Pharmacy, Nursing and Physiotherapy
Law
Architecture
Agriculture
Hotel management and Culinary studies
Valuation of real estate
Any programme a statutory council or regulator does not permit in distance mode
The same notice says M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes in all disciplines are prohibited through distance and online mode.
Which correspondence courses are available: the numbers
Career Bhavan's UGC-approved universities directory merges UGC-DEB's official lists for 2026-27. On our last check, on 13 October 2026, it held 1,736 distance (ODL) programme listings across 121 universities, including 17 state open universities and one private open university. Arts and commerce dominate:
| Degree | ODL listings |
|---|---|
| MA | 558 |
| BA | 243 |
| M.Sc | 196 |
| B.Sc | 108 |
| MBA | 102 (at 80 universities) |
| B.Com | 91 |
| M.Com | 82 |
| BBA | 64 |
| MCA | 42 |
| BCA | 30 |
IGNOU is a separate case. Its July 2026 prospectus says it has been exempted from UGC's ODL and online regulations and that its programmes are at par with those approved by the Distance Education Bureau, so you verify IGNOU through its own documents. Our comparison of IGNOU vs an online university helps if you are choosing between them.
What correspondence courses cost
Distance programmes are usually the cheapest recognised route to a degree, because there is little classroom teaching. Two MBA examples from official university pages, checked in October 2026:
| University | Fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| IGNOU (MBA, distance) | ₹66,000 | Programme fee; registration, development and exam fees are extra |
| Bharathiar University (MBA, distance) | ₹52,480 | Course fee over four semesters; a ₹150 application fee and exam fees are extra |
Always ask for the written total, from admission to the last exam. For more MBA options, see the distance MBA course page and the list of UGC-approved distance MBA universities.
How to check a correspondence course before you pay
Find the university and the exact programme on UGC-DEB's list for your session, marked ODL. Our UGC-DEB check guide shows how.
Make sure the programme is not in a prohibited field, such as engineering, law or a Ph.D.
Check where the exams and contact sessions happen. UGC's regulations keep ODL admissions, contact programmes and exams within the university's territorial jurisdiction, so a far-off study centre is a warning sign.
Ask who runs the learner support centre. The regulations do not allow it to be set up under a franchisee.
Create your ABC ID and DEB ID before admission. A UGC notice of November 2024 made the DEB ID mandatory for distance and online enrolment.
Who correspondence courses suit
Distance study suits people who can study alone from printed or digital material: working adults, homemakers returning to study, and anyone who needs the lowest-cost recognised degree. If you want regular live classes and more structure, an online programme may suit you better, and both carry the same legal standing when recognised.
Frequently asked questions
What are correspondence courses?
Courses studied at home from a university's study material, with exams at its centres instead of daily classes. UGC now regulates them as open and distance learning (ODL).
Are correspondence courses valid in India?
Yes, when the university and programme are on UGC-DEB's list for your session. Regulation 22 of UGC's 2020 regulations treats such degrees as equivalent to the regular degree. Employers and exam bodies can still add their own conditions.
Can I do B.Tech or LLB by correspondence?
No. UGC's public notice prohibits engineering, law, medicine and several other fields in distance and online mode. Ph.D. and M.Phil are also prohibited in these modes.
How many universities offer correspondence courses?
Career Bhavan's count of UGC-DEB's 2026-27 lists, made on 13 October 2026, found 1,736 distance programme listings across 121 universities. IGNOU is exempt from these regulations and verified separately.
Is a correspondence degree the same as an online degree?
Both are recognised the same way, but they are taught differently: distance programmes rely on self-learning material and centre-based exams, online programmes on a learning platform and online assessment.
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