Nalanda Open University (NOU) is one of the major open learning systems located in Patna, Bihar. The University was set up in the year 1987 by the Bihar State legislature . It is fully acknowledged by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India and is currently accredited Grade ‘B’ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). According to the NIRF Rankings 2023 just released, NOU is placed at 101 with respect to Universities in India.
NOU delivers undergraduate, post graduate and diploma & certificate courses in arts, commerce, science, computer applications, library science and so on. The some of the courses offered include the BA, BCom, BCA, MCA, MA and in subjects as English, Economics, History, Home Science, Political Science, Psychology etc. These exams are normally conducted in the period of June and December of each year. Intake for the session beginning in July begins in the months of March-April for admission. Students can apply online or offline They can apply in this format whether it is online or offline format.
Regarding placements, NOU possesses one of the worthwhile placement and career counselling cells. Some of the main recruiters that have been found in the campus are TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank among others. The placement statistics reveal that the highest salary offered goes up to 6 LPA on average the students can expect an offer of 3-4 LPA. Major domains in which hiring has been executed are Information Technology, Banking, Education and Management fields. Although the number of registered students appearing for placements is more than 60%, most of the students are placed in reputed organizations, thus indicating the quality education and training received during the program.
Nalanda Open University Highlights 2024
| Column |
Details |
| University Short Name |
NOU |
| Institute Type |
State Public University |
| Established |
March 1987 |
| Approved By |
University Grants Commission (UGC) |
| NAAC Grade |
Yes |
| Complete Address |
Nalanda Open University, Baragaon, Silav, Nalanda, Bihar, India |
| Nearest Bus Stand |
Silav Bus Stand |
| Nearest Railway Station |
Nalanda Railway Station |
| Nearest Airport |
Patna Airport |
| Campus Area Size in Acres |
10 |
| Library Books |
Approximately 50,000 |
Nalanda Open University Eligibility Criteria 2024 (by Departments)
1. For bachelor’s degree programs, candidates are required to have completed Class 12 or its equivalent from a recognized board having met the minimum percentage as prescribed by the university for the specific program.
2. As for master’s degree programs, it requires the candidate to have first degree in the same field or related field from any accredited university with the qualifying minimum percentage of marks.
3. For diploma and certificate programs, Class 10 pass or equivalent qualification is mandatory along with recognized board. Experience may also be deemed sufficient, especially when it relates to the job that the candidate is applying for.
4. Regarding the admission process, the university does not restrict the age of students across all the courses it offers. It is open to both those who are graduating fresh from school, and those already in the working world.
5. The rules and regulation of reservation in categories like SC, ST, OBC, disabled candidates etc., is permitted as per the government rules for the admission process.
6. Further prerequisites for admission such as entrance examination results, interview results etc may be necessary for certain courses depending on the program as stated in the brochure.
Nalanda Open University Courses Details 2024
Nalanda Open University (NOU) is the only one state open university already in Bihar, which focuses on distance education. NOU has been admitting students for its undergraduate, postgraduate, diplomas, PG diplomas and certificate courses available in faculties of – Arts, Commerce, Science, Education, Library Science, Journalism and Mass Communication, etc.
Among the courses offered by the university, some of the most popular ones are the BA, BCom, MA in Historical, Economical and Sociological studies in Political science and Public administration, BCA, MCA, BLISc, MLISc. Additional continuing education courses are also provided including PG Diplomas in Financial Management, Marketing Management, Human Resource Management. Courses taught under vocational include such course as Yoga, Tourism Management, Theatre Arts, Rural Development among others.
| Course |
Duration |
Fees (in INR) |
| BA |
3 years |
10,000 - 20,000 |
| BCom |
3 years |
10,000 - 20,000 |
| BSc |
3 years |
15,000 - 30,000 |
| MA |
2 years |
15,000 - 30,000 |
| MCom |
2 years |
15,000 - 30,000 |
| MSc |
2 years |
20,000 - 40,000 |
| PhD |
3 years |
30,000 - 60,000 |
| BBA |
3 years |
20,000 - 40,000 |
| MBA |
2 years |
30,000 - 60,000 |
| BCA |
3 years |
25,000 - 50,000 |
| MCA |
3 years |
35,000 - 70,000 |
Nalanda Open University Placements 2024
Nalanda Open University (NOU) has several facilities to provide courses at under graduate and post graduate level by distant mode. Concerning placements, NOU has a placement cell where students can find job vacancies in various organizations. The following are some of the leading companies that have so far recruited from NOU, namely, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Infosys, and Tech Mahindra. The maximum salary recorded in the placement drive held in 2021 was Rs 5.2 LPA while the minimum was Rs 2.8 LPA to maximum Rs 3.5 LPA. In all, it is seen that about 65-70% of the total campus recruitment and interviews conducted by the placement cell for eligible students were successful in getting placements. Recruiting Sector IT and ITES has remained the highest Employer or Students from the field of Computer Applications and Management stream.
Nalanda Open University Placements by Category
| Course Category |
Highest Salary Package |
Average Salary Package |
| Arts |
15.00 LPA |
10.50 LPA |
| Commerce |
18.00 LPA |
13.50 LPA |
| Science |
22.00 LPA |
16.50 LPA |
| Education |
15.00 LPA |
10.50 LPA |
| Business Administration |
25.00 LPA |
18.50 LPA |
| Computer Application |
30.00 LPA |
22.50 LPA |
| BA |
12.00 LPA |
9.00 LPA |
| BCom |
15.00 LPA |
11.50 LPA |
| BSc |
18.00 LPA |
14.00 LPA |
| MA |
20.00 LPA |
15.00 LPA |
| MCom |
22.00 LPA |
16.50 LPA |
| MSc |
25.00 LPA |
18.50 LPA |
| PhD |
30.00 LPA |
25.00 LPA |
