NOU Admission 2026: Nalanda Open University will commence the admission process for various UG and PG programs from 01 March 2026 under the academic year 2026-27. For most courses, admission is entirely based on merit, but students who are applying for the BEd program have to appear in the state-level entrance exam.
The University offers Undergraduate, Postgraduate, PG Diploma, and Certificate courses in streams like Arts, Science, Commerce, Media, Computer Science, and Library Science. The university offers a total of 67 courses under all regular programs. The total course fee at NOU ranges between INR 2,400 and INR 32,000.
NOU Admission 2026 Latest Updates & Notifications:
- NOU is going to commence the admission process soon for the academic session 2026, and the final date to apply will be 31 March 2026.
About University:
Nalanda Open University (NOU) is a public state open university located in Patna, Bihar. It was founded in 1987. The university’s courses are recognized by the UGC, and it is affiliated with the Government of Bihar.
NOU Admission 2026 Overview Table
| Feature | Details |
| University Name | Nalanda Open University (NOU) |
| Admission Year | 2026 |
| Program Types | UG, PG, Certificate, Diploma, Ph.D. |
| Admission Mode | Online |
| Application Window | Opening soon (as of October 2025) |
| Application Fee | INR 300(non-refundable) |
| Eligibility |
|
| Entrance Exam | Not required for UG/PG; Required for B.Ed. |
| Teaching Experience (B.Ed) | Minimum 2 years + 45% marks in graduation |
| Selection Criteria | Merit-based (except B.Ed) |
| Application Portal | www.nou.ac.in |
| Location | Patna, Bihar |
| Fee Range | INR 2400 to INR 25,000 per year (varies by course) |
NOU Admission 2026
NOU offers admission to various UG, PG, PG Diploma, and Certificate programs for the academic session 2026. The admission process is conducted online through the official website of the university. Candidates must register, fill out the application form, and pay an application fee. The application fee for all programs is INR 300. Admission to most of the courses is based on merit.
However, for the BEd program, the university accepts an entrance exam, which is CET-BED. Once the merit list is released, selected candidates are called for document verification. A 25% fee discount is provided to female students applying for admission to any course offered by the university. Interested candidates will be invited soon for admission to all programs for the upcoming session, and the deadline to get enrolled is expected to be 31 March 2026.
NOU Admission 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Dates |
| NOU Online Application Form Release Date | 01 March 2025* |
| Nalanda Open University UG Admission 2026 Last Date | 31 March 2026* |
| NOU PG Admission 2026 Last Date | 31 March 2026* |
| NOU BLIS Admission 2026 Last Date | 31 March 2026* |
| NOU Diploma Admission Last Date | 31 March 2026* |
| NOU Certificate Admission Last Date | 31 March 2026* |
Eligibility Criteria for NOU Admission 2026
Nalanda Open University offers admission to candidates who meet the basic eligibility criteria as per the university’s admission guidelines. Check the details below to understand the requirements:
For Undergraduate Programs:
- Candidates who have passed the senior secondary examination or its equivalent from a recognized board are eligible to apply for any UG degree.
- Admission to the BEd program is based on qualifying marks obtained in the CET-BED examination.
- Applicants who pursue the BEd program must have a 2-year teacher training.
For Postgraduate Programs:
- To apply for PG courses, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant stream from a recognized university or institute.
- Applicants must qualify for the merit list released by the university.
Nalanda Open University Courses and Fees
| UG Course Name | Annual Fees |
| Distance BA Honours in Education | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Sociology | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Political Science | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Tourism | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Psychology | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Geography | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Home Science | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Economics | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Hindi | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Social Work | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Journalism & Mass Communication | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in History | INR 2400 |
| Distance BA Honours in Public Administration | INR 2400 |
| Distance BCom | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Physics | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Mathematics | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Botany | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Zoology | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Home Science | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Chemistry | INR 2400 |
| Distance BSc Honours in Geography | INR 2400 |
| Distance BLIS | INR 5500 |
| Bachelor of Education (BEd) |
INR 25000 (Admission through CET-BED)
|
| Distance BBA | INR 6600 |
| Distance BCA | INR 6600 |
| PG Course Name | Annual Fees |
| Distance MA in English | Suspended |
| Distance MA in Urdu | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Hindi | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Magahi | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Public Administration | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Maithili | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Environmental Studies | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Rural Development | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Psychology | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Education | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Sanskrit | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Geography | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Political Science | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Economics | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Bhojpuri | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in History | INR 4400 |
| Distance MA in Sociology | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Chemistry | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Zoology | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Physics | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Geography | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Environmental Science | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Botany | INR 4400 |
| Distance MSc in Mathematics | INR 4400 |
| Distance MCom | INR 4400 |
| Distance MCA | INR 12000 |
| Distance MLIS | INR 9700 |
| Distance MJMC | INR 5000 |
NOU UG Admission 2026
NOU offers a wide range of undergraduate programs in disciplines such as Arts, Science, Commerce, Education, and Social Science. Popular courses include BA, BLISc, BEd, BSc, BBA, BCA, and BCom. The selection criteria for these courses are based on merit, while the BEd program requires the CET-BEd entrance exam. The admission portal for NOU UG courses will begin soon under the January session 2026.
Students who have passed their 10+2 examination from a recognized board are eligible to apply. Students have to appear in an entrance examination for some specific courses. UG programs can be completed in 3 years; however, the BEd program requires a total of 2 years. All UG course fee set by the university ranges between INR 2,400 and INR 32,000.
Nalanda Open University BA Admission
Nalanda Open University offers a Bachelor of Arts in 13 specialization including Education, Sociology, Political Science, Tourism, Psychology, Geography, and many more. The University will start the admission process very soon, and the deadline to apply will be 31 March 2026 for the session 2026. The duration of this course is 3 years, and students must have passed 10+2 grade from a reputed university. Eligible candidates can apply for admission through the official portal nou.ac.in by paying the program fee of INR 2400 per annum.
Nalanda Open University BLIS Admission
NOU will start the admission process soon for the BLIS program under the January session 2026. The expected last date to submit the application form will be 31 March 2026. The duration of this program is 1 year, and applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in any field to pursue the BLIS program at Nalanda Open University. The program fee is INR 5,500. The admission criteria are completely based on the previous academic scores of the candidates. Interested students can apply online through the official website once the admission form is released.
NOU PG Admission 2026
NOU invites applicants for PG programs such as MA, MSc, MCA, MCom, and MJMC in disciplines like Economics, Rural Development, Mathematics, Zoology, and Chemistry. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university to be eligible for admission. The admission process for all PG programs is merit-based.
The total course fee for all PG programs ranges between INR 4,400 and INR 20,000. The duration of most PG programs is 2 years, which is divided into 4 semesters. Applicants who choose to pursue the MLISc course can complete the entire program in 1 year, which is spread across 2 semesters. NOU PG Admission form will be released soon on the official portal of the University, @nou.ac.in.
Nalanda Open University MA Admission
Nalanda Open University is expected to open the MA Admission 2026-27 process soon, offering postgraduate degrees in a range of arts and social science subjects through distance education. Students interested in pursuing a Master of Arts will need to have completed a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university to be eligible for admission.
Most MA programs at NOU are 2-year courses divided into 4 semesters and cover fields such as Economics, History, Geography, Sociology, Disaster Management, Political Science, Rural Development, and other similar subjects.
The university conducts admissions on the basis of academic merit, meaning selection is primarily based on a student’s past academic record, and there is no separate entrance test for most MA courses. Fees for MA programs at Nalanda Open University are generally affordable, which is INR 4,400 per year.
Nalanda Open University MCA Admission
The admission portal will open soon for the NOU MCA program under the January batch 2026-27. The total fees for Master’s of Computer Applications via its ODL mode are INR 40,000 for male candidates, while INR 30,000 is for female candidates. Students must hold a bachelor’s degree to apply and are able to apply through the official portal of NOU, @nou.ac.in. The selection process is based on the entrance exam conducted by the university, and the exam is expected to be scheduled on 19 February 2026.
NOU Entrance Exam 2026
NOU conducts an entrance examination only for the BEd program for the upcoming session. Admission to all other undergraduate and postgraduate courses is based on merit determined by marks obtained in the qualifying examination.
The BEd entrance exam (CET-BED) is expected to be held in June 2026, and details regarding the examination are available on the official website. Students are selected based on their performance in the entrance exam, followed by a counselling and document verification process. The test includes objective-type questions covering aptitude, general awareness, reasoning, and subject knowledge.
How to Apply for NOU Admission 2026?
- Step 1: Go to the official website of the Nalanda Open University https://www.nou.ac.in/.
- Step 2: Click on the “Online Admission 2026” link on the homepage.
- Step 3: Create a new account by entering all the basic details.
- Step 4: Use your login credentials to fill out your personal education and contact details carefully.
- Step 5: Attach all the scanned documents in the given format.
- Step 6: Complete the payment using the online mode of payment.
- Step 7: Click on the “Submit Button” for the final submission.
FAQs Related to NOU Admission 2026
Question: What is the last date for NOU PG admission 2026?
Answer: 31 March 2026 will be the last date to apply for NOU PG Admission 2026.
Question: Is the Nalanda Open University degree valid?
Answer: Yes, the NOU degree is valid as all the courses offered by Nalanda Open University is approved by the UGC.
Contact Details of NOU Admission
- Address: 2nd/3rd Floor, Biscomaun Bhawan, Gandhi Maidan, Patna – 800001, Bihar, India.
- Phone / Helpline: 9341508580, 9341508577 (Admission enquiries)
- Fax: 0612-2201001
- Email: nou@nou.ac.in
- Website: @nalandaopenuniversity.com
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