IGNOU has been at the forefront of higher education in India when it comes to distance and online learning. If we talk about fresh enrollment, around 13 lakh students enrolled (Fresh and Re-registration included) in the 2022 - 23 academic year. The reach of the university, no doubt, is catering to its intended audience. So do students benefit from an IGNOU degree when it comes to jobs and career growth? Before we answer this, let us see the student profile of IGNOU of those who enrolled fresh in 2022-23.
| Category | Sub Category | Students | Percentage Share |
|---|---|---|---|
This Story also Contains
- Growth in Employed Learners
- Placement Statistics
- Career Awareness And Job-Support Sessions
- What it means to IGNOU Students:
Gender
Male
3,65,780
51.30%
Female
3,47,681
48.70%
Region
Urban
3,49,179
48.90%
Rural
3,55,364
49.80%
Tribal
8,967
1.30%
Social Category
General
3,67,176
51.5%
OBC
1,95,368
27.4%
SC
90,316
12.7%
ST
45,542
6.4%
EWS
1,5108
2.1
Special Category
PWDS
4227
-
Jail Inmates
11089
-
IGNOU’s 2022–23 batch reflects diversity and inclusivity. Women form 48.7 per cent of new enrolments, while rural learners slightly outnumber urban students. Socially, over half belong to the general category, with OBC, SC, and ST learners making up a significant share. The university also educates 4,227 students with disabilities and supports over 11,000 jail inmates, reinforcing its role in making higher education accessible to all.
Growth in Employed Learners
In the academic year 2022-23, around 1.45 lakhs employed learners were admitted to the university. If we look at the five-year trend, there has been a steady increase in the number of employed learners.
Employed Learners In Fresh Enrolment (Trend)
| Year | Employed learners |
|---|---|
2018–19 | 1,06,070 |
2019–20 | 2,28,049 |
2020–21 | 1,30,129 |
2021–22 | 1,39,384 |
2022–23 | 1,44,561 |
If we look at the data, we can see that over a period of time, there has been a steady rise in the number of employed learners who have enrolled themselves for various IGNOU courses. IGNOU’s flexible approach to learning has allowed learners to pursue their higher education while still working.
Placement Statistics
Let us have a look at the placement data that is available to answer this question. At IGNOU, the promise of flexible learning is working well with the kind of job opportunities that are available. IGNOU conducts placement drives to place students passing out. However, owing to distance, the students participating in such drives seems limited. In 2022-23, IGNOU conducted eight placement drives. Recent placement drives show a steady rise in success rates, with the placement rate moving from 21 per cent in 2021–22 to 30 per cent in 2022–23.
Placement statistics for the academic year 2022-2023
| Dates | Location | Participants | Selected | Placement Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4 August, 2022 | New Delhi | 506 | 133 | 26% |
12 October, 2022 | New Delhi | 480 | 168 | 35% |
29 November, 2022 | New Delhi | 178 | 42 | 24% |
15 February, 2023 | New Delhi | 271 | 93 | 34% |
29 April, 2023 | Varanasi | 150 | 31 | 20% |
28 May, 2023 | Patna | 43 | 9 | 21% |
11 June, 2023 | Ranchi | - | 15 | - |
Total | – | 1,628 | 491 | 30% |
The participation in placement drives has also seen a growth of 27 per cent compared to the previous year. This growth reflects IGNOUs engagement with its students and recruiters and its expanding reach, thus providing more opportunities to sit for placements.
Recruiters List for the Academic Year 2022-23
Globiva | AIR India SATS | APTARA |
ICICI Finzcare | Nature Om | Flipkart |
Girnar Soft | InsuranceDekho.com | SBI Life |
Career Awareness And Job-Support Sessions
There are several ways in which IGNOU helps the students with career growth. The university organised Career Awareness Sessions wherein industry experts shared their insights and viewpoints on career planning and skill requirements. IGNOU also holds Job Support Programmes on campus where students are taught how to create their CV, job portal usage, and preparation for the interview.
There are over 59,000 registered users on the alumni portal, where learners can access mentorship, networking opportunities, and career insights. In 2022–23, 13 Alumni Meets further connected students with successful professionals in various fields.
With awareness, training, and alumni support, IGNOU ensures its learners are career-ready and confident to pursue job opportunities.
Note: 8 students attended the in-person job-support series on Mar 28–29, 2023.
What it means to IGNOU Students:
An IGNOU degree truly supports career growth. Placements improved from 21 per cent to 30 per cent with more recruiters offering opportunities. Learners also saw improvement in their Careers. The table below highlights learners with existing employment benefitted after an IGNOU degree. This was out of an internal survey done by IGNOU on its students with work experience.
| Career Impact | Percentage | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
Job Promotion | 42% | 42% of respondents received a promotion after engaging with the program. |
Salary Increase | 38% | 38% experienced a salary increase, reflecting financial benefits. |
Role Change to Preferred Field | 33% | 33% switched to roles in their desired fields, achieving career goals. |
Enhanced Job Security | 46% | 46% reported better job security, showing increased value in their roles. |
Entrepreneurial Ventures Started | 8% | 8% started their businesses, indicating entrepreneurial outcomes. |
Flexible learning attracts working professionals, while career sessions, job-support workshops, and alumni networking add value. Many students achieved promotions, salary hikes, and job security—making IGNOU a strong choice for career advancement.
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