NOU Patna Admission 2026

Nalanda Open University

Patna, Bihar · NOU Patna · Estd. 1995

UG Open PG Open PhD Open

2026-27 ODL admission is open at nou.ac.in. Updated: 2026-05-10

About Nalanda Open University

Nalanda Open University (NOU) is a state Open and Distance Learning (ODL) university located at Patna in Bihar, established in 1995 by the Nalanda Open University Act, 1995 of the Bihar Legislative Assembly. NOU is the only state Open University in Bihar and serves the open / distance / non-formal higher education needs of Bihar and the North-East region.

NOU offers UG, PG, Diploma, PG Diploma and Certificate programmes through ODL — including BA, B.Sc, B.Com, BBA, MA, M.Sc, M.Com, MBA, M.Lib.I.Sc and a wide range of vocational / job-oriented certificates and diplomas. Admission is open through merit-based registration on the university portal; there is no centralised entrance test for most ODL programmes.

The 2026-27 admission notification, programme list and fee structure are released on the official portal at nou.ac.in. NOU is recognised under UGC Act Section 22 and is UGC-DEB approved for ODL programmes.

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Total Seats

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Courses

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NAAC

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NIRF Rank

Application fee: ₹600 (General) / ₹400 (Reserved) · Official site ↗

Entrance Exams

Class 12 merit-based admission

Class 12 / Bachelor's merit (ODL)

Conducted by Nalanda Open University

NOU is a state Open University; admission is open through merit-based registration on the university portal. There is no centralised entrance test for most ODL programmes; admission is on the merit of the qualifying examination. Recognised under UGC Act Section 22 and UGC-DEB approved.

Other accepted exams

Class 12 merit
Bachelor's merit

Eligibility

UG (ODL): Pass in Class 12 / equivalent from a recognised board. PG (ODL): Bachelor's degree in the relevant discipline. Diploma / PG Diploma / Certificate: as per programme. Ph.D: Master's with UGC-prescribed aggregate.

Important Dates

Event	Date	Stage	Portal	Status
2026-27 ODL admission window opens	TBA	application	NOU Patna	Ongoing
Document verification	TBA	counselling	NOU Patna	Ongoing
Term-end examination (TEE) cycle	TBA	exam	NOU Patna	Upcoming

How to Apply

1

Read the NOU notification

Visit nou.ac.in for the 2026-27 admission notification with programme list, fee structure and eligibility.
2

Register and apply online

Register on the NOU online application portal, fill personal and academic details, upload qualifying-exam marksheets and pay the application fee.
3

Document verification

NOU verifies marksheets, photo ID and category certificates; admission to ODL-permitted programmes is confirmed at this stage.
4

Confirm enrolment

Pay the first-semester fee, receive student ID and access ODL study material / LMS.

Previous Year Cutoffs

Cutoffs will be published here once last year's data is verified.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for eligible candidates at this university.

NOU merit awards, Bihar State scholarships (Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana, MMSY), SC/ST/OBC/EWS/EBC post-matric scholarships through NSP.

Reservations

Bihar state reservation: SC 16%, ST 1%, EBC 18%, BC 12%, EWS 10%, BC women 3%; PwBD 5% horizontal.

Results & Merit Lists

No result links published yet for this academic year. Subscribe below to be notified.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the admission process at Nalanda Open University?

Nalanda Open University admits students primarily through Class 12 / Bachelor's merit (ODL). After the entrance exam result, candidates register on the university's CSAS (or equivalent) portal, fill college and programme preferences, and accept seats round-by-round.

What is the application fee at Nalanda Open University?

For 2026, the application fee is ₹600 for General/OBC/EWS candidates and ₹400 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.

When does Nalanda Open University declare its cutoff?

Cutoffs at Nalanda Open University are released after each round of seat allotment. CSAS/portal-based universities typically publish round-wise allocation lists; merit-based universities release a single merit list. Watch the Important Dates section above for exact dates.

Does Nalanda Open University accept Class 12 / Bachelor's merit (ODL) scores?

Class 12 / Bachelor's merit (ODL) is the primary basis for admission at Nalanda Open University. See the Entrance Exams section for details on accepted exams.