Chennai: After a long wait, the University of Madras is planning to launch online BCom and BBA degree programmes from the academic year 2026-27. The Institute of Distance Education (IDE) at the university is preparing e-resources, including video lectures and a studio for delivering live lectures for these online courses.
Pilot Launch and Future Plans
These two programmes will be launched on a pilot basis. After assessing the response from students, the university is likely to introduce more programmes in newer areas, an official from the university stated.
The Institute of Distance Education at the University of Madras currently offers over 30 degree programmes in distance mode. Among these, BCom, BBA, and MBA are the most popular, preferred by a majority of students.
UGC Approval and Faculty Pooling
A few years ago, the University of Madras received permission from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to start nine online degree programmes. Faculty members from university departments and affiliated colleges will be pooled to deliver live lectures to students. There will be no jurisdictional boundary for enrolment; any student can enrol in these programmes. From entry to exit, these programmes will be completely online, the official added.
The university may conduct proctored online exams for these online degree programmes.
Increase in Enrolment
Enrolment at the Institute of Distance Education has increased by 2,500 compared to the previous year. Overall, 32,000 students enrolled in various programmes during the two admission sessions conducted in the 2025-26 academic year. The enrolment increased despite discontinuing psychology programmes based on UGC directives, another official said.
Job-Oriented Diploma and BSc Blended Programme
The university is also planning to launch job-oriented diploma programmes in commerce, sociology, and other fields. Additionally, it will continue its BSc (blended) science degree programme, offered in collaboration with the University of Melbourne. As many as five students from various departments were selected by the University of Melbourne for a summer internship starting in June.
