Indira Gandhi National Open University VS Guru Nanak Dev University

Indira Gandhi National Open University
Indira Gandhi National Open University

Indira Gandhi National Open University

New Delhi, Delhi
Courses
285
Online
Guru Nanak Dev University
Guru Nanak Dev University

Guru Nanak Dev University

Amritsar
NIRF Rank
#87
Courses
50
Regular
VS

Quick Comparison

NIRF Rank
IGNOU
GNDU
#87
Highest Package
IGNOU
₹10 LPA
GNDU
INR 18.43 LPA
Total Courses
IGNOU
285
GNDU
50
Fee Range
IGNOU
1,000 - 64,000
GNDU
10000 - 742460

Detailed Comparison

Type

Online

Regular

Established

1985

1969

NAAC Grade

NIRF Rank

87

Total Courses

285

50

Approvals

NIRF, WES, NAAC A ++

UGC, NAAC

Fee Range

1,000 - 64,000

10000 - 742460

Highest Package

₹10 LPA

INR 18.43 LPA

Average Package

₹4-7 LPA

INR 6.40 LPA

Courses & Fees

IGNOU

8 Courses

Distance BCom In Accountancy And Finance

3 Years

₹8,100

Certificate In Adolescent Health And Counselling

- Years

₹2,000

Distance MA In Adult Education

2 Years

₹15,000

Distance PG Certificate In Adult Education

- Years

₹3,600

Distance PG Diploma In Adult Education

- Years

₹7,200

Distance PG Diploma In Advertising And Integrated Communication

- Years

₹8,000

Distance PG Diploma In Agribusiness

- Years

₹7,100

Distance PG Certificate In Agriculture Policy

- Years

₹3,600

GNDU

8 Courses

BTech In Computer Science And Engineering

4 Years

₹3,88,240

BTech In Computer Engineering

4 Years

₹3,88,240

BTech In Mechanical Engineering

4 Years

₹3,88,240

BTech In Food Technology

4 Years

₹3,42,240

BTech In Electronics And Computer Engineering

4 Years

₹6,11,580

BTech In Electronics & Communication Engineering

4 Years

₹3,88,240

BTech In Civil Engineering

4 Years

₹3,88,240

BTech In Computer And Communication Engineering

4 Years

₹7,42,460

Placements

IGNOU

Placement Highlights

Highest Package

₹10 LPA

Average Package

₹4-7 LPA

IGNOU, as an open university primarily designed for working professionals and self-motivated learners, approaches career support differently from conventional residential universities. Rather than traditional campus placements, IGNOU provides a comprehensive ecosystem of career development services, industry linkages, and alumni networks.

Career Support Overview

MetricDetails
Campus Placement DrivesConducted at select regional centres
Career CounsellingAvailable at 67 regional centres
Industry Partnerships100+ organizations
Alumni Network4 Million+ graduates worldwide
Annual Graduates500,000+

Management and Business (MBA / BBA Graduates)

IGNOU MBA graduates find employment in marketing, human resources, operations, finance, and supply chain management. Given the low IGNOU MBA fee structure relative to private B-schools, the ROI is exceptionally high. Common roles and salary ranges:

  • Marketing Manager / Business Development: ₹4-8 LPA
  • HR Manager / Talent Acquisition: ₹4-7 LPA
  • Operations / Logistics Manager: ₹4-6 LPA
  • Financial Analyst / Accounts Manager: ₹4-7 LPA

Information Technology (BCA / MCA / B.Tech Graduates)

The IT sector is one of the strongest placement avenues for IGNOU technology graduates. With digital transformation accelerating, demand for BCA and MCA graduates remains high:

  • Software Developer / Programmer: ₹3.5-7 LPA
  • Web Developer / UI-UX Designer: ₹3-6 LPA
  • Database Administrator: ₹4-8 LPA
  • System Analyst: ₹5-9 LPA

The IGNOU BCA fee advantage means graduates enter careers with zero or minimal education debt. IGNOU B.Tech graduates, especially lateral-entry candidates, often have years of industry experience by completion.

Education Sector (B.Ed Graduates)

The IGNOU B.Ed programme is tailored for in-service teachers. Upon completion, graduates are eligible for TGT and PGT positions in KVS, NVS, state government, and private schools:

  • TGT Teacher (Government): ₹3.5-7 LPA
  • PGT Teacher (Government): ₹5-9 LPA
  • Private School Teacher: ₹2.5-6 LPA
  • School Coordinator: ₹5-10 LPA

Placement Statistics by Programme

ProgrammeAvg Starting SalaryTop SectorsCommon Roles
MBA₹4-7 LPABFSI, Retail, ITManager, Analyst, HR Executive
MCA₹4-8 LPAIT, Telecom, E-commerceDeveloper, DBA, System Analyst
BCA₹3-6 LPAIT Services, StartupsProgrammer, Support Engineer
BBA₹2.5-5 LPARetail, Logistics, BankingSales Executive, Operations
B.Ed₹3-7 LPASchools (Govt & Private)TGT, PGT, Coordinator
B.Com₹2.5-5 LPAAccounting, FinanceAccounts Executive, Tax Asst
B.Tech₹4-8 LPAEngineering, IT, MfgEngineer, Project Lead

Government Job Eligibility

All IGNOU degrees are fully recognised for government employment including UPSC Civil Services, SSC examinations, banking PO/clerk exams (IBPS, SBI), railway recruitment, state PSC exams, and defence recruitment. This eligibility is particularly important for students from smaller towns who choose IGNOU specifically to pursue government careers.

Alumni Network

IGNOU's alumni base numbers in the tens of millions over four decades. Alumni occupy positions across government, corporate, academic, and entrepreneurial domains. IGNOU alumni include IAS officers, senior corporate executives, successful entrepreneurs, and academic leaders. The vast alumni network serves as an informal placement and mentorship channel. For programme comparisons, explore Online MBA, Online MCA, Online BCA, Online BBA, Online BCom, and our college rankings.

GNDU

Placement Highlights

Highest Package

INR 18.43 LPA

Average Package

INR 6.40 LPA

During Guru Nanak Dev University placement drives, students have been recruited by IT, consulting, FMCG and service sector companies. The recruiters include Amazon, Accenture, Coca-Cola, Capgemini, Dabur, and IBM. Placement reports show that the university achieved a high placement rate of around 84.89% in recent cycles. These placements are across various disciplines, including engineering, management, and commerce. The highlights of Guru Nanak Dev University placements are as follows:

Particulars

Placement Statistics (2023)

Placement Statistics (2024)

No. of students placed

875

652

Highest package

INR 19.57 LPA

INR 18.43 LPA

Average package

INR 6.19 LPA

INR 6.40 LPA

No. of companies offered jobs

61

79

Top Recruiters of Guru Nanak Dev University are-

  • KPMG

  • Xenon  stack

  • TCS

  • Nagarro

  • Hexaware Technologies

  • Josh Technologies

  • Capgemini

  • TCS Digital

  • HDFC Life

  • Caelius

  • Amazon

  • Grazitti Interactive

  • Tata AIG

  • Viva Chem

  • ICICI Bank 

  • Berger paints

Guru Nanak Dev University Scholarships

Guru Nanak Dev University offers a range of scholarships to support students from meritorious and financially weaker backgrounds. Scholarships are merit-based awards, reserved category fee concessions and need-based financial assistance. Students can apply for central and state government scholarship schemes and special category scholarships for SC/ST/OBC/EWS candidates. Details of Guru Nanak Dev University scholarships is provided below:

Scholarship Name

Eligibility Criteria

Applicable Levels

Merit Scholarships

High academic performance in exams or semester results

UG / PG

Reserved Category Scholarships

SC/ST/OBC/EWS students as per norms

UG / PG

Need-Based Assistance

Students from economically weaker families

UG / PG

Fee Waivers

Awarded to eligible candidates

UG / PG

Government Scholarships

Through central/state portals

UG / PG

Special Category Awards

Category-specific / sponsored

UG / PG

Admission Process

IGNOU

IGNOU admission is conducted twice a year through the January session and July session. The entire application process is online through the official IGNOU portal. Most programs follow a direct merit-based admission without entrance examinations, though select programs like B.Ed and PhD require specific entrance tests.

GNDU

Admission to Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) is based on merit or entrance exams. For undergraduate courses like B.Tech, admission is mainly through JEE Main scores. GNDU conducts its own entrance test (GMET) for programmes such as MBA. Postgraduate admissions, including M.Tech, are based on scores from exams like GATE or departmental entrance tests. For UG programs such as BA, BSc, and BCom, admission is based on Class 12 marks.

Course

Eligibility Criteria

Selection Process

BE / BTech

Class 12 with 50% aggregate (45% for SC) from a recognised board

JEE Main + Counselling

MBA / PGDM

Graduation with minimum 50% aggregate from a recognised university

GMET + Counselling

UG Diploma

Class 12 with minimum 50% aggregate from a recognised board

Merit-based

BSc

Class 12 with 50% aggregate (45% for SC)

Entrance Test

BCA

Class 12 with 50% aggregate (45% for SC)

Entrance Test

BCom

Class 12 with 50% aggregate (45% for SC)

Entrance Test

MA

Graduation with minimum 60% aggregate

Merit-based

B.Ed

Graduation with minimum 60% aggregate

Merit-based

BPT

Class 12 with 50% aggregate (45% for SC)

Merit-based

BBA

Class 12 with 50% aggregate (45% for SC)

Merit-based

Need help deciding?

Our counsellors can help you choose between Indira Gandhi National Open University and Guru Nanak Dev University based on your profile.

College Comparison FAQs

What is the full form of IGNOU?
IGNOU stands for Indira Gandhi National Open University. It was named after Smt. Indira Gandhi, the first female Prime Minister of India, and was established in 1985 by an Act of Parliament to promote open and distance education across the country.
When does IGNOU admission open for 2026?
IGNOU conducts admissions twice a year — the January session (registration typically opens in October-November) and the July session (registration typically opens in April-May). The IGNOU last date of admission is announced on the official website ignou.ac.in for each session separately.
How do I complete IGNOU re-registration?
IGNOU re-registration for continuing students is done online through the student portal at ignou.ac.in. Log in with your enrollment number, select courses for the next year, and pay the re-registration fee online. The re-registration window opens before each academic session.
Which entrance exams are accepted for admission at GNDU?
For GNDU, admissions are based on JEE Mains, GMET, GATE, or merit lists, depending on the program.
Is Guru Nanak Dev University Recognized?
Yes, Guru Nanak Dev University is NAAC A+ accredited and UGC recognized.

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