Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Master of Arts in Education (MAEDU) is a 2-year postgraduate programme offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode under the School of Education (SOE). The programme has a minimum duration of 2 years and a maximum duration of 4 years, and is available in English medium. The total programme fee is Rs. 20,000 (Rs. 10,000 per year), making it an affordable option for education professionals and graduates seeking advanced knowledge in the field. MAEDU is designed to produce well-trained professionals knowledgeable in education and its various dimensions, including higher education, distance education, educational technology, and educational management. The programme is highly popular among school teachers, principals, education administrators, and fresh graduates aspiring to build careers in the education sector.

Admission for the January 2026 session is currently ongoing. The last date to apply is 31 March 2026. Students can apply online at ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in. Re-registration for existing students is also open till 31 March 2026 (with a late fee of Rs. 200).

Distance Mode Study Centres

IGNOU MAEDU is offered exclusively through Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode. Students are assigned to a Study Centre (Learner Support Centre) for counselling sessions, assignment submission, and examinations. MAEDU study centres are available across India, including in the following regional areas:

Hyderabad, Karnal, Shimla, Jammu, Bangalore, Cochin, Bhopal, Pune, Imphal, Shillong, Aizawl, Port Blair, Kohima, Bhubaneswar, Khanna, Jaipur, Gangtok, Chennai, Agartala, Lucknow, Kolkata, Delhi, Noida, Guwahati, Trivandrum, Jabalpur, Rajkot, Madurai, Koraput, Siliguri, Darbhanga, Aligarh, Varanasi, Mumbai, Patna, Ranchi, Jorhat, Dehradun, Raipur, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Vijayawada, Bijapur, Jodhpur, Saharsa, Deoghar, Angul, Rairangpur, Chandigarh, Panaji, Vatakara, and more.

Students should visit the official IGNOU admission portal or their nearest Regional Centre to confirm the availability of MAEDU at a specific study centre.

Key Points

MAEDU is offered under the School of Education (SOE) at IGNOU, which is dedicated to advancing education through research and professional development.
The programme offers specializations in Higher Education, Distance Education, Educational Technology, Educational Management, and Adult Education.
The programme includes a mandatory dissertation (MESP-001) worth 10 credits, providing students with research experience in the field of education.
The medium of instruction is English only.
The maximum duration to complete the programme is 4 years, offering flexibility for working professionals.
No age bar for admission, making it accessible to teachers and education professionals at any career stage.

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Fees
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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 MAEDU Fees

The MAEDU programme at IGNOU is an affordable postgraduate option for education professionals. The total programme fee is Rs. 20,000, payable at Rs. 10,000 per year. In addition to the tuition fee, students are required to pay a one-time Registration Fee of Rs. 300 and a Development Fee of Rs. 200 per year. The total cost of the programme including all charges comes to Rs. 20,700. There is no hostel facility associated with this ODL programme.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Year 1	Year 2	Total
Tuition Fee	Rs. 10,000	Rs. 10,000	Rs. 20,000
Registration Fee (one-time)	Rs. 300	-	Rs. 300
Development Fee	Rs. 200	Rs. 200	Rs. 400
Total Fees	Rs. 10,500	Rs. 10,200	Rs. 20,700

Exam fees are not included in the above fee structure and will be charged separately as decided by the University at the time of examination form submission.
Fees can be paid via Credit Card, Debit Card, or Internet Banking.
There is no hostel facility for ODL students.
Fee once paid is non-refundable except in cases where the student withdraws within the stipulated refund period as per IGNOU policy.
SC/ST students availing financial support are required to pay the University fee as applicable and may seek reimbursement through the scholarship portal.

IGNOU MAEDU Admission 2026

IGNOU follows a bi-annual admission cycle for MAEDU - January session and July session. The January 2026 session admission is currently open with the last date extended to 31 March 2026. Admission is merit-based with no entrance examination. Students can apply online through the official IGNOU admission portal. Selection is based on eligibility criteria only.

IGNOU MAEDU Admission Dates

Event	Date
January 2026 Session Admission Opens	January 2026
Last Date for Fresh Admission (January 2026)	31 March 2026
Re-Registration Last Date (January 2026)	31 March 2026 (with late fee of Rs. 200)
Assignment Submission Last Date (June 2026 TEE)	31 March 2026
Exam Form Submission - June 2026 TEE (without late fee)	10 March 2026 to 10 April 2026
Exam Form Submission - June 2026 TEE (with late fee of Rs. 1,100)	11 April 2026 to 24 April 2026
June 2026 Term-End Examination (TEE) Begins	1 June 2026
June 2026 TEE Ends (Tentative)	15 July 2026
July 2026 Session Admission Opens (Tentative)	July 2026

Examination Dates

Examination	Mode	Tentative Dates
IGNOU June 2026 Term-End Examination (TEE)	Pen & Paper / CBT	1 June 2026 to 15 July 2026
IGNOU December 2026 Term-End Examination (TEE)	Pen & Paper / CBT	December 2026 (dates to be announced)

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in any discipline with or without a degree in Education from a recognized University.
There is no minimum percentage requirement specified for admission.
There is no age bar for enrollment in the MAEDU programme.

Admission Process

Visit the official IGNOU admission portal at ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in.
Create a DEB ID (mandatory before starting the application process).
Register as a new user by providing username, password, email, and mobile number.
Log in and fill in the application form with personal, academic, and contact details.
Upload scanned copies of required documents (educational certificates, photo, signature, ID proof, category certificate if applicable).
Pay the programme fee online via Credit Card, Debit Card, or Internet Banking.
Submit the form and save the payment confirmation for future reference.
Candidates can also apply offline by visiting the nearest IGNOU Regional Centre.

IGNOU: Students' Opinion

AI-Generated Summary based on 2 Reviews

The M.A. in Education program at IGNOU spans two years with a total fee of 17,200 INR. The initial fee was 13,000 INR, but some might not find the overall cost reasonable. Admission is straightforward, requiring fee payment via a draft at the regional center. While the faculty is knowledgeable and provides valuable guidance, interaction with them is limited to Sundays, and the student-teacher ratio is unspecified due to the off-campus format.

However, IGNOU does not offer scholarships for postgraduate students, nor does it provide campus placement services.

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IGNOU MAEDU Scholarships 2026

IGNOU MAEDU students can avail a range of scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and IGNOU's own scholarship schemes. These scholarships are primarily targeted at students from SC, ST, OBC, minority, PwD, and economically weaker sections. The scholarship application process is largely offline, and students are advised to apply through their respective State Directorate of Social Welfare or IGNOU Regional Centre.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship Name	Eligibility	Benefit
Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students	SC category, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh per annum	Tuition fee reimbursement + maintenance allowance
Post Matric Scholarship for ST Students	ST category, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh per annum	Tuition fee reimbursement + maintenance allowance
Post Matric Scholarship for OBC Students	OBC category, family income below Rs. 1.5 lakh per annum	Tuition fee reimbursement
Post Matric Scholarship for Minorities	Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi communities, income below Rs. 2 lakh per annum	Tuition fee + maintenance allowance
IGNOU Special Scholarship	Women, differently-abled, transgender students	Partial fee waiver
IGNOU Merit Scholarship	High academic scorers in previous examinations	Merit-based financial assistance
National Fellowship for PwD Students	Students with disabilities enrolled in PG programmes	Financial aid and fee waiver

All NSP scholarships can be applied for at scholarships.gov.in after receiving admission confirmation from IGNOU.
The scholarship application process is offline; forms are available at the State Directorate of Social Welfare or IGNOU Regional Centres.
Students must not be receiving any other scholarship simultaneously.
Annual family income should not exceed Rs. 3,00,000 for most IGNOU scholarship schemes.
Scholarship notification for 2026-27 was released in December 2026; students should check the official IGNOU website and NSP portal for updated deadlines.

IGNOU MAEDU FAQs

Ques. Is a B.Ed. degree required to apply for IGNOU MAEDU?

Ans. No, a B.Ed. degree is not mandatory. The eligibility for MAEDU is a Bachelor's degree in any discipline, with or without a degree in Education. So graduates from any stream - arts, science, commerce - can apply. However, having a B.Ed. or teaching experience can be an advantage in understanding the course content.

Ques. What are the specializations available in IGNOU MAEDU?

Ans. MAEDU offers specializations in five areas: Higher Education, Distance Education, Educational Technology, Educational Management, and Adult Education. Students choose their specialization in the second year by selecting the relevant elective courses. The core courses in the first year are common for all students.

Ques. Can school teachers pursue IGNOU MAEDU while continuing their job?

Ans. Yes, MAEDU is specifically designed for working education professionals. Since it is an ODL programme, there are no mandatory daily classes. Teachers can study at their own pace using self-learning materials and attend counselling sessions at their assigned study centre on scheduled days, which are usually on weekends or holidays.

Ques. Is the IGNOU MAEDU degree recognized for promotions in government schools?

Ans. Yes, the IGNOU MAEDU degree is recognized by the UGC and is accepted for promotions and career advancement in government schools and educational institutions. IGNOU is a Central University established by an Act of Parliament, and its degrees are equivalent to those from any other UGC-recognized university. Many state governments accept IGNOU degrees for teacher promotion purposes.

Ques. What is the dissertation requirement in MAEDU?

Ans. MAEDU includes a mandatory dissertation (MESP-001) worth 10 credits. Students are required to conduct original research in any area of education, prepare a research proposal, collect data, and submit a written dissertation. The dissertation is evaluated by IGNOU-appointed examiners. Students are advised to start working on their dissertation topic early in the programme.

Ques. After MAEDU, can I pursue a PhD in Education from IGNOU or other universities?

Ans. Yes, MAEDU graduates are eligible to apply for PhD programmes in Education at IGNOU and other universities. IGNOU offers a PhD programme in Education through the School of Education. Additionally, MAEDU graduates can apply for PhD programmes at other central and state universities. The research skills developed during the MAEDU dissertation are particularly useful for doctoral studies.

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Why To Join IGNOU - Reviews & Rating

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Bhaswati pathak

3.9

M.A, Education

Reviewed on May 31, 2024(Enrolled 2021)

My perspective on Indira Gandhi National open University

Likes

I like Indira gandhi national university for their off campus course and for offering me the post graduate degree with first class.

Dislikes

The examination pattern of indira gandhi national open university is lengthy
The books of IGNOU are sometimes difficult to understand

Fees and Financial Aid:

The M.A in education course was a two year course. The complete cost of the course is 17200 which is not very reasonable for everyone. IGNOU doesnot offcer any schoolarship for PG students and never provide for campus placement

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parminder kaur

5.0

M.A, Education

Reviewed on Apr 7, 2022(Enrolled 2019)

overall good experience

Fees and Financial Aid:

fee structure was13000 for an overall course which is very much reasonable. I havnt taken any scholarship for this program. I have paid the fees as a draft in the regional centre. it was a very simple process for getting admission .it was a smooth process to get admitted in the course.

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