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Rabindra Bharati University DDE: fees, courses and admission
Rabindra Bharati UniversityKolkata, West Bengal
Fees and rules checked on 23 October 2026
Admission: The July 2026 session closed after the last date was extended to 12 October 2026. The CDOE also admitted in January 2026, but no January 2027 notice has been posted (checked 23 October 2026).
Overview
Rabindra Bharati University, founded in Kolkata on 8 May 1962 to mark Rabindranath Tagore’s birth centenary, is a state university with a strong focus on the fine and visual arts. Its Centre for Distance and Online Education, formerly the Directorate of Distance Education, has taught by distance since 2002-03 and now offers five MA programmes with downloadable study material and contact classes at college centres.
- Type
- State university, West Bengal
- Modes
- Distance (ODL) only, MA programmes
- Sessions
- Two intakes so far: January 2026 and July 2026
- Study centres
- Main campus at Salt Lake, Kolkata, plus 51 college centres across West Bengal
- Entrance test
- None; online admission on a first-come, first-served basis
Courses and fees
MA English
2 years
₹5,000a semester
₹20,000 for four semesters by our sum, plus ₹2,500 exam fee a semester
Get fee detailsMA History
2 years
₹5,000a semester
₹20,000 for four semesters by our sum, plus ₹2,500 exam fee a semester
Get fee detailsMA Political Science
2 years
₹5,000a semester
₹20,000 for four semesters by our sum, plus ₹2,500 exam fee a semester
Get fee detailsMA Education
2 years
₹5,000a semester
₹20,000 for four semesters by our sum, plus ₹2,500 exam fee a semester
Get fee detailsMA Geography
2 years
₹12,000a semester
₹48,000 for four semesters by our sum, plus ₹5,000 exam fee a semester; Salt Lake main campus only
Get fee detailsFees are from the CDOE’s prospectus for the July 2026 (revised August 2026) session. Exam fees are paid each semester with the exam form. A ₹300 pass certificate fee and a ₹500 migration certificate fee are paid at Semester IV admission, and field visit or dissertation costs for Geography are your own. The prospectus says not to pay any other fee to a centre.
Admission
-
January 2026 session
Online admission ran from 16 January to 15 February 2026, for eleven MA and MSW subjects.
-
July 2026 session
Closed. Forms opened on 4 July 2026, and the last date moved from 5 September to 10 September and then to 12 October 2026.
-
January 2027
Not announced yet (checked 23 October 2026). UGC-DEB’s recognition of the five MA programmes runs up to January 2027.
How to apply
Admission portal: the university’s website, linked from the university’s website. CDOE: Rabindra Bhavan, EE-9 & 10, Sector II, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091; phone 033 2358 4014 / 4016 / 4018.
Eligibility
-
MA English, History, Political Science
A degree (Honours, Major, General or Pass, 10+2+3) with the subject for at least 300 full marks at graduate level.
-
MA Education
A B.Ed or B.Ed (special education) with any degree, or a degree with Education for at least 300 full marks.
-
MA Geography
An Honours or Major degree in Geography (10+2+3). Taught only at the Salt Lake main campus.
Exams and study
You fill in the exam form and pay the fee online each semester. The university decides the exam centre, and results are posted on the CDOE website.
Self-learning material is downloaded from the CDOE website after admission. Contact classes are held at your learner support centre, four or five one-hour classes a day.
Student response sheets carry 20% of the marks and are marked by your centre. You can’t fill in the exam form until they are done, and you pass a paper with 40%.
UGC recognition. UGC-DEB’s 2026-27 ODL list (session August 2026) recognises 5 Rabindra Bharati University programmes: the MA in Education, English, Geography, Political Science and History, valid up to January 2027 only. It has no online programmes on the 2026-27 lists.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Rabindra Bharati University distance MA?
₹5,000 a semester for English, History, Political Science or Education, and ₹12,000 for Geography. Exam fees of ₹2,500 (₹5,000 for Geography) a semester are extra.
Does it offer an MBA or a bachelor’s degree by distance?
No. The CDOE teaches only MA programmes, and for 2026-27 UGC-DEB recognises five: English, History, Political Science, Education and Geography.
Is there an entrance test?
No. Admission is online on a first-come, first-served basis, and seats are limited. Your centre checks your original documents.
Can I join in January 2027?
Not announced yet (checked 23 October 2026). The CDOE ran a January 2026 intake, and the July 2026 intake closed on 12 October.
What is Rabindra Bharati University’s NAAC grade?
The CDOE cites Grade A from February 2016. We found no current NAAC certificate on the university’s sites.
If Rabindra Bharati University DDE isn’t the right fit
Netaji Subhas Open University in Kolkata teaches a wider range by distance, including the BA, B.Com, M.Com and MSW, and IGNOU admits in January and July. UGC-entitled private online MBAs start at ₹67,000 in total (Mangalayatan University, fee checked 17 October 2026).
Other universities in West BengalPrivate online universities
Sources
- CDOE site the university’s website (linked from the university’s website): home page, admission and examination notice lists, programme, SLM and achievements pages, read 23 Oct 2026.
- CDOE prospectus for the July 2026 (revised August 2026) session, 2026-27: programmes, fees, eligibility, study material, contact classes, internal assessment and exams.
- Admission notices of 2 July 2026 and 14 January 2026, the circulars of 7 July and 5 September 2026 and the extension of 1 October 2026 (scanned notices, read from the page image).
- Rabindra Bharati University’s IQAC and NAAC page on the university’s website; no current NAAC certificate found.
- UGC-DEB list of HEIs recognised for ODL, 2026-27, session August 2026 (S.No 100).