All three universities, IGNOU, YCMOU, and IDOL are distance learning institutes established to provide students with quality education. All three institutes are UGC approved and quite well known for their open university programs. The following points highlight some important aspects of doing a BA from the three universities:

Fee Structure and Eligibility:

The table below provides information on the fee structure and eligibility for a BA course at all three institutes:

About the BA Curriculum:

The degree is a three-year course at all three institutes.

IGNOU:

• The first year includes a foundation course in various subjects like Bengali, Oriya, Science, and Technology, etc.

• However, second-year onwards students will begin specializing in the subjects of their choice. For example, a specialization in English includes students studying literature, poetry, communication skills, and more.

IDOL:

• Depending on the specialization chosen, students will learn subjects in the fields of psychology, economics, philosophy, etc.

• Some of the topics covered include compatibilism, Socratic ethics in philosophy, memory, learning in psychology, limits, and continuity in mathematics, and much more.

YCMOU:

• Topics to study in English include reading a novel, short story along with subjects like environmental sciences.

• A compulsory foundation course is included in the first year with topics ranging from history, social sciences, humanities, etc.

Entry into Second Year BA:

• The field of arts is starkly different from that of an engineering degree.

• Despite securing a diploma from a reputed institute in civil engineering, lateral entry is not possible at either of the three institutes.

• This option is not available for any field. Moreover, none of the subjects overlap with a BA degree when it comes to an engineering degree.

Thus, students will have to begin from the first year in order to do a BA degree after a diploma in civil engineering.