Answering the queries of students for a method of study while working; the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985. The University continuously strives to build an inclusive knowledge society through inclusive education. It has tried to increase the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by offering high-quality teaching through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode to the students who cannot commit fully to education.The University began by offering two academic programs in 1987, in Diploma in Management and Diploma in Distance Education, with a total strength of 4,528 students.

Today, it serves the educational aspirations of over 3 million students in India and other countries through 21 Schools of Studies and a network of 67 regional centres, around 2,667 learner support centres and 29 overseas partner institutions. The University offers about 228 certificate, diploma, degree and doctoral programs, with a total strength of nearly 810 faculty members and 574 academic staff at the headquarters and regional centres and about 33,212 academic counselors from conventional institutions of higher learning, professional organizations, and industry among others. Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) currently has its presence in 35 countries.