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Madras University IDE: fees, courses and admission
Institute of Distance Education, University of MadrasChepauk, Chennai
Fees and rules checked on 21 October 2026
Admission: IDE’s Academic Year 2026-27 admissions opened on 29 June 2026, and UGC-DEB’s last date for the August 2026 session was 13 October 2026. The prospectus also covers a Calendar Year 2027 (January) batch, but no start date is posted yet.
Overview
The Institute of Distance Education (IDE) is the distance-learning arm of the University of Madras, a state university in Chennai founded in 1857; IDE was set up in 1981. It teaches by distance (ODL), with printed study material, optional online classes and exams at centres in Tamil Nadu.
- Type
- State university (University of Madras)
- Modes
- Distance (ODL) through IDE
- Sessions
- Academic Year (July) and Calendar Year (January)
- Study centres
- 74 learner support centres in Tamil Nadu
- Entrance test
- MBA and MCA only, set by IDE
Courses and fees
MBA
2 years
₹38,740in total (our sum)
₹21,140 in year 1 if you apply online, ₹17,600 in year 2
Get fee detailsMCA
2 years
₹35,940in total (our sum)
₹19,740 in year 1 if you apply online, ₹16,200 in year 2
Get fee detailsB.Com, B.Com Bank Management
3 years
₹19,950in total (our sum)
₹7,750 in year 1, then ₹6,100 a year
Get fee detailsBA
3 years
₹17,010in total (our sum)
₹6,770 in year 1, then ₹5,120 a year; seven subjects
Get fee detailsMA English, Tamil, Economics, History, Political Science, Public Administration
2 years
₹13,750in total (our sum)
₹7,800 in year 1, ₹5,950 in year 2
Get fee detailsFees from IDE’s 2026-27 prospectuses, which give a fee for each year; the totals are our sums. UG figures are for a Tamil Nadu +2 (₹100 more in year 1 with a +2 from another state). PG, MBA and MCA figures are for graduates of other universities; Madras University graduates pay ₹400 less in year 1. MBA and MCA year-1 figures include the ₹590 form and ₹400 entrance fee. Extra: exam fees of ₹85 a paper (UG), ₹150 (PG), ₹400 (MBA) and ₹250 (MCA), the ₹236 UG/PG form, and ₹3,000 if you take the MBA project.
Admission
- Academic Year 2026-27
Opened on 29 June 2026. UGC-DEB’s last date for the August 2026 session was 13 October 2026; IDE hasn’t posted its own closing date.
- Calendar Year 2027 (January batch)
Covered by the 2026-27 prospectus, but no start date is posted yet. Diplomas and certificates admit only in the Academic Year.
How to apply
Online applications: the university’s website (it didn’t load when we checked). Online applicants post their original certificates to IDE within 15 days. You need an ABC ID and a DEB ID before you apply. IDE doesn’t accept fees in instalments.
Eligibility
-
MBA
A bachelor’s or master’s degree from a UGC/AIU-recognised university, a professional degree, or CA, CMA or CS, plus a pass in IDE’s entrance test.
-
MCA
BCA or B.Sc Computer Science, or a B.Sc, B.Com or BA with Mathematics at +2 or degree level, plus the entrance test.
-
BA, B.Com, BBA, BCA
A +2 pass from the Tamil Nadu board or any other board.
-
MA, M.Com
A bachelor’s degree under the 10+2+3 pattern; M.Com needs B.Com, BBA, BA Economics or a related degree. Degrees taken through an open university system are not accepted.
Exams and study
Exams are held at centres in Tamil Nadu, and you can’t change your centre once chosen. UG and PG papers can be written in Tamil or English; MBA and MCA papers in English only.
Printed material is posted, or collected at Chepauk or your learner support centre. E-material is on the IDE site under your enrolment number.
Theory classes are online and optional. Practical classes and practical exams, for courses such as BCA, MCA and M.Sc IT, are held only at IDE in Chennai.
UGC recognition. UGC-DEB’s 2026-27 list recognises the University of Madras for 24 distance (ODL) programmes: the MBA and MCA up to January 2027 only, and the other 22, including the BA, B.Com, BCA, MA and M.Com, up to January 2028. Nine programmes are also on UGC’s online entitled list, but IDE’s site has no details of them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an entrance test for the Madras University distance MBA?
Yes. IDE says a pass in its own entrance test is mandatory for MBA and MCA applicants. The UG and PG prospectus mentions no test.
How much does the MBA cost in all?
₹21,140 in the first year if you apply online as a graduate of another university, including the ₹590 form and ₹400 entrance fee, and ₹17,600 in the second year: ₹38,740 by our sum. Exam fees are ₹400 a paper, and the project adds ₹3,000 if you choose it.
Where are the exams held?
At centres in Tamil Nadu. You pick one centre, and IDE doesn’t allow a change later.
Can I join in January 2027?
Not yet. IDE runs a Calendar Year (January) stream for degree courses, and its 2026-27 prospectus covers a Calendar Year 2027 batch, but no start date had been posted on 21 October 2026.
Can I apply with a degree from an open university?
No. IDE’s prospectus says candidates who passed under an open university system are not eligible for admission.
If Madras University IDE isn’t the right fit
Exams are held only in Tamil Nadu, so IDE suits students who live there. IGNOU is the other large government option, and UGC-entitled private online MBAs start at ₹67,000 in total (Mangalayatan University, fee checked 17 October 2026).
Sources
- IDE UG/PG prospectus cum application, Academic Year 2026-2027 / Calendar Year 2027, pp. 1, 4, 13–14, 21–25 and 28–34 (the university’s website), read 21 Oct 2026.
- IDE MBA/MCA prospectus cum application, Academic Year 2026-2027 / Calendar Year 2027, pp. 1, 11–14 and 20–28, read 21 Oct 2026.
- IDE home page, notice “Academic Year 2026 admissions commence from 29.06.2026”, and the Learner Support Centre list 2026-2027, read 21 Oct 2026.
- UGC-DEB list of HEIs recognised for ODL programmes and list of HEIs entitled for online programmes, 2026-27 (session beginning August 2026).
- UGC-DEB public notice of 5 Aug 2026 extending the last date for the August 2026 session to 13 Oct 2026.