The Post Graduate Diploma in Animal Welfare (PGDAW) is a 1-year, 32-credit postgraduate diploma programme offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) through its School of Extension and Development Studies (SOEDS). Delivered in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, the programme is a multidisciplinary offering covering animal welfare science, ethics, laws, standards, and practices across all categories of managed animals including farm animals (cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goat, pigs, poultry) and non-farm animals (working, performing, companion, zoo, and laboratory animals). The total programme fee is Rs 6,000 (plus applicable registration and development fees), with no entrance exam required. The programme is particularly popular among veterinary professionals, animal husbandry officers, NGO workers, policy makers, and graduates interested in animal rights and welfare advocacy.
Admissions to PGDAW are offered twice a year in the January and July sessions. As of March 2026, the January 2026 session admission deadline has been extended to 30th March 2026 for ODL programmes. The next July 2026 session is expected to open in May 2026, with a tentative last date around October 2026 (based on the July 2025 session pattern).
The programme is offered in Distance (ODL) mode and is available across a wide network of IGNOU Regional Centres and Study Centres across India, including centres in Hyderabad, Karnal, Shimla, Jammu, Bangalore, Bhopal, Pune, Imphal, Shillong, Aizawl, Port Blair, Kohima, Bhubaneswar, Khanna, Jaipur, Gangtok, Chennai, Agartala, Lucknow, Kolkata, Itanagar, Srinagar, Dehradun, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Raipur, Nagpur, Jorhat, Delhi, Noida, Guwahati, Trivandrum, Jabalpur, Rajkot, Madurai, Koraput, Siliguri, Darbhanga, Aligarh, Varanasi, Mumbai, Patna, Raghunathganj, Chandigarh, Panaji, Bhagalpur, Vatakara, Visakhapatnam, Bijapur, Saharsa, Deoghar, Jodhpur, and Ahmedabad. If no study centre is available in the applicant's vicinity, they may choose SOEDS (School of Extension and Development Studies) as the Learner Support Centre. Students should verify availability at their preferred centre on the official IGNOU admission portal before applying.
Key Points
- The programme is offered by the School of Extension and Development Studies (SOEDS), one of IGNOU's specialized schools focused on development and extension education.
- Curriculum includes four compulsory courses: MAW-001 (Animal Welfare Science and Ethics, 8 credits), MAW-002 (Animal Welfare Issues, 8 credits), MAW-003 (Animal Welfare Laws, Policies and Organizations, 8 credits), and MAW-004 (Animal Welfare Practices, Economics and Livelihood, 8 credits).
- The programme covers welfare of all managed animal categories: cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goat, pigs, poultry, working animals, performing animals, companion animals, zoo animals, and laboratory animals.
- Particularly suited for veterinary professionals, animal husbandry officers, NGO workers, policy makers, journalists, and animal welfare advocates.
- Available in English medium only.
- Maximum duration to complete the programme is 2 years.
- No entrance examination is required; admission is based on eligibility.
- The programme is recognized by all member institutions of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
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