Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Diploma in Value Added Products from Fruits and Vegetables (DVAPFV) is a 1-year open distance learning programme offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) under its School of Agriculture (SOA). Developed with the support of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, the programme aims to develop competent human resources in the field of post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables and production of value-added products. The curriculum covers food fundamentals, post-harvest management, food chemistry, food processing engineering, food microbiology, food quality testing, and entrepreneurship and marketing. The total programme fee is Rs. 14,400 plus a registration fee of Rs. 300. The programme is open to anyone who has passed 10+2 or equivalent, and is particularly targeted at horticulture farmers, food processors, rural youth, NGO workers, and aspiring food entrepreneurs. With both theory and practical components, DVAPFV is one of the most vocationally oriented diploma programmes offered by IGNOU.

Admissions to DVAPFV are offered twice a year - in the January and July sessions. For the January 2026 session, the admission portal is currently open with the last date for submission of applications extended to 30th March 2026. Students can apply online through the IGNOU Samarth Admission Portal at ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in.

Distance Mode Study Centres for DVAPFV:

The DVAPFV programme is offered in Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode. Due to the practical nature of the programme, it is available at select study centres with appropriate laboratory and processing facilities. The study centres for DVAPFV are:

Study Centres

Regional Centre	Study Centre
Karnal	NIFTEM Kundali, Sonepat (1081P)
Bangalore	University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore (1365P)
Bhopal	IGNOU Regional Centre Bhopal (1500)
Shillong	ICAR Research Complex (1860P)
Port Blair	IGNOU Regional Centre Port Blair (0200)
Bhubaneswar	IGNOU Regional Centre Bhubaneswar (2100)
Khanna	IGNOU Programme Study Centre (2268)
Jaipur	Rajasthan Agriculture Research Institute, Durgapura, Jaipur (23121)
Lucknow	Lucknow Christian PG College (2720)
Kolkata	West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences (28103P)
Nagpur	Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Nagpur (1660P)
Noida	Ch. Chhotu Ram PG College (39033P)
Madurai	Bon Secours College for Women (43078)
Madurai	The Gandhigram Rural Institute (43086)
Varanasi	B.R.D. PG College, Deoria (27119)
Varanasi	Dept. of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, BHU (48003P)
Varanasi	KNIPSS Sultanpur (2710)
Varanasi	Udai Pratap Autonomous College, Varanasi (2708)
Patna	IGNOU Regional Centre Patna (0500)
Delhi 1	School of Agriculture, IGNOU (7129)

Students should visit the official IGNOU Samarth portal to check the complete and updated list of study centres in their region.

Key Points

The DVAPFV programme was developed with the support of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, giving it strong industry relevance.
The programme has equal theory and practical components - 16 theory credits and 16 practical credits (32 total credits), making it highly skill-oriented.
The programme is offered in both English and Hindi medium, making it accessible to a wider audience.
Students can complete the programme in a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 4 years.
The programme is specifically designed for rural youth, horticulture farmers, food processors, and aspiring food entrepreneurs.
Prospective job opportunities include procurement assistant, post-harvest technician, quality control assistant, packaging supervisor, marketing assistant, and self-employment as food processor/trader/exporter.
The certificate is recognised by all member institutions of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

Official Link:

Go To Website

Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

IGNOU Latest Updates and News

02 Apr, 2026 IGNOU Registration (Jan 2026 Session) closed on Mar 30, 2026. The next admission cycle is expected to begin around May-Jun 2026 for the July session.

IGNOU DVAPFV Fees

The DVAPFV programme is priced at Rs. 14,400 for the full programme, with an additional non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 300 and a development fee of Rs. 200. Examination fees are charged separately at the time of filling the exam form (approximately Rs. 200 per course). There are no hostel facilities associated with this distance learning programme.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Programme Fee (Tuition)	14,400
Registration Fee (Non-refundable)	300
Development Fee	200
Examination Fee (per course, approx.)	200
Total Fees (excl. exam fee)	14,900
Total Fees (incl. exam fee for 8 courses)	16,500

The Registration Fee of Rs. 300 is non-refundable under all circumstances.
Fee refund (excluding registration fee) is available if cancellation is requested before confirmation of admission.
After confirmation of admission, 15% of the programme fee (subject to a ceiling of Rs. 2,000) will be deducted on cancellation.
No refund is admissible after 60 days from the closing date of admissions.
Fee can be paid online via Credit Card, Debit Card (Visa/Master/RuPay), or Net Banking.
SC/ST students may be eligible for fee support/waiver as per IGNOU notifications.

IGNOU DVAPFV Admission 2026

IGNOU follows a bi-annual admission cycle for the DVAPFV programme - January and July sessions. The January 2026 session is currently open, with the last date for fresh admissions extended to 30th March 2026. No entrance exam is required; admission is granted on the basis of eligibility criteria. Students must apply online through the IGNOU Samarth Admission Portal.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Admission Portal Opens (January 2026 Session)	16th December 2025
Last Date for Fresh Admission (January 2026)	30th March 2026
Expected Batch Commencement	January 2026
Re-registration Last Date (with late fee of Rs. 200)	31st March 2026
Expected July 2026 Session Admission Opening	June 2026 (Tentative)
Expected Last Date for July 2026 Session	August 2026 (Tentative)

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must have passed 10+2 (Senior Secondary) or equivalent from a recognised board.
Alternatively, candidates who have passed BPP (Basic Preparatory Programme) from IGNOU/ODL mode are also eligible.
Candidates who have passed Class 10 may enroll simultaneously for BPP and DVAPFV.
There is no age bar for applying to the DVAPFV programme.

Admission Process

Visit the IGNOU Samarth Admission Portal at ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in and click on "New Registration."
Fill in personal and academic details to create a username and password.
Log in and select the DVAPFV programme from the available programmes list.
Upload scanned copies of required documents: 10+2 mark sheet/certificate, photograph, signature, identity proof (Aadhaar), and category certificate (if applicable).
Select your preferred Regional Centre and Study Centre from the available list.
Pay the programme fee, registration fee, and development fee online.
Download and save the completed application form and fee receipt for future reference.
Study materials will be dispatched by post or made available digitally via eGyanKosh.

IGNOU DVAPFV Scholarships 2026

IGNOU students enrolled in the DVAPFV programme can avail of various government scholarships available through the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in). These scholarships are primarily targeted at students from reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC) and economically weaker sections. IGNOU also provides fee support to SC/ST students for fresh admissions and re-registration as per its internal notifications.

Available Scholarships

Scholarship	Eligibility	Amount / Benefit
Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students	SC category, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh p.a.	Up to 100% tuition fee reimbursement
Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students	ST category, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh p.a.	Up to 100% tuition fee reimbursement
OBC Post-Matric Scholarship	OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), family income below Rs. 1 lakh p.a.	Partial fee reimbursement
Minority Scholarship (Maulana Azad)	Minority community students, income below Rs. 2.5 lakh p.a.	Up to Rs. 10,000 p.a.
IGNOU SC/ST Fee Support	SC/ST students enrolled in IGNOU programmes	Fee waiver/support as per IGNOU Notification No. 76

Students must apply for government scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) after confirmation of IGNOU admission.
Scholarship application deadlines vary; students should check the NSP portal regularly.
IGNOU's internal fee support for SC/ST students is announced session-wise; check the official IGNOU website or regional centre for the latest notification.

IGNOU DVAPFV FAQs

Ques. Is DVAPFV suitable for someone who wants to start a food processing business?

Ans. Yes, DVAPFV is specifically designed with entrepreneurship in mind. The programme includes a dedicated course on Entrepreneurship and Marketing (BPVI 8) and covers the entire value chain from procurement of raw materials to marketing of processed products. Graduates are equipped to start their own food processing units, become traders, transporters, wholesalers, retailers, or exporters of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables.

Ques. What kind of practical training is included in DVAPFV?

Ans. Each of the 8 courses in DVAPFV has an equal theory and practical component (2 theory credits + 2 practical credits = 4 credits per course). The practical training covers food processing techniques, quality testing, microbiology lab work, and food engineering operations. Students must attend practical sessions at their designated study centre, which is typically an agricultural university, food technology institute, or IGNOU centre with appropriate lab facilities.

Ques. What are the career opportunities after completing DVAPFV?

Ans. Graduates can work as procurement assistants, fruits/vegetables graders, post-harvest technicians, junior plant operators, production technicians/supervisors in fruit and vegetable processing industries, quality control assistants, packaging supervisors, cold storage supervisors, transport supervisors, retail supervisors, marketing assistants, and extension assistants. Self-employment opportunities include becoming a food processor, trader, transporter, wholesaler, retailer, or exporter of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables.

Ques. Is DVAPFV recognised by the food processing industry?

Ans. Yes, DVAPFV was developed with the support of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, which gives it strong industry recognition. The programme is designed to meet the workforce requirements of the food processing industry and is recognised by all AIU member institutions. Graduates are well-positioned for entry-level positions in the food processing sector.

Ques. Can farmers or rural youth without a 10+2 qualification enroll in DVAPFV?

Ans. Candidates who have passed Class 10 but not 10+2 can enroll simultaneously for IGNOU's Basic Preparatory Programme (BPP) and DVAPFV. The BPP is a bridge programme that allows Class 10 pass students to pursue diploma-level programmes. This provision makes DVAPFV accessible to a wider rural audience.

Ques. How is the practical examination conducted for DVAPFV?

Ans. Practical examinations are conducted at the designated study centre (typically an agricultural university or food technology institute). Students are evaluated on their ability to perform food processing operations, quality testing, and microbiology experiments. A practical record/journal must be maintained throughout the programme and submitted for evaluation. Students must attend all practical sessions as scheduled by the study centre.