- ✓Which universities in Tamil Nadu offer online degrees?
- ✓Does the University of Madras offer online degrees?
- ✓Which online degree is most common in Tamil Nadu?
Tamil Nadu has more universities teaching online than almost any other state, from century-old state universities to private deemed universities. Here is the full 2026-27 list from the UGC-DEB register, and what it tells you about which degrees you can actually take online.
Short answer: for the 2026-27 July session, the UGC-DEB programme register lists 24 universities based in Tamil Nadu with at least one online programme, holding 147 online programme entries between them. The online MBA is the most widely offered (18 universities), followed by the B.Com (17) and the BBA (14).
Online programmes carry no territorial limit, so you can join from anywhere in India.
- Universities with an online entitlement, 2026-27: 24
- Online programme entries: 147 (54 undergraduate, 92 postgraduate, 1 unlevelled)
- Most widely offered: MBA at 18 universities, B.Com at 17, BBA at 14
- Distance (ODL) instead: 265 entries at 17 institutions
- Same value as campus? Yes, Regulation 22 of the UGC ODL and Online Regulations, 2020
Which Tamil Nadu universities offer online degrees for 2026-27?
The UGC-DEB HEI programme register records each entitlement by year, session and mode. These are the universities based in Tamil Nadu with entries marked Online for the 2026-27 July session, by number of entries:
| University | Type | Online UG | Online PG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science | Deemed | 7 | 6 |
| Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA) | Deemed | 5 | 7 |
| Bharathiar University | State | 3 | 8 |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Deemed | 3 | 7 |
| Bharathidasan University | State | 3 | 7 |
| Manonmaniam Sundaranar University | State | 3 | 7 |
| Madurai Kamaraj University | State | 3 | 6 |
| University of Madras | State | 3 | 6 |
| Alagappa University | State | 3 | 5 |
| Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Higher Education | Deemed | 3 | 4 |
| Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology | Deemed | 3 | 3 |
| Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute | Deemed | 1 | 5 |
| SRM Institute of Science and Technology | Deemed | 2 | 3 |
| Vellore Institute of Technology | Deemed | 1 | 3 |
| Central University of Tamil Nadu | Central | 0 | 3 |
| Vels Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS) | Deemed | 1 | 3 |
| Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research | Deemed | 2 | 1 |
| B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology | Deemed | 1 | 2 |
| Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research | Deemed | 2 | 1 |
| Academy of Maritime Education and Training | Deemed | 2 | 1 |
| Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | Deemed | 1 | 1 |
| Anna University | State | 0 | 2 |
| Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences | Deemed | 1 | 1 |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | Deemed | 1 | 0 |
Central University of Tamil Nadu holds four entries in total, one of which has no UG or PG level in the register. Counts are register entries: a university that lists one MBA with three specialisations as three rows counts three times. Open the register row to see exact programme names.
An engineering-led university can be entitled to teach management or computing online. It cannot teach engineering online.
Which online degrees can you take in Tamil Nadu?
Counted by universities rather than entries, the 2026-27 register shows this spread across the 24:
| Programme | Tamil Nadu universities entitled online |
|---|---|
| MBA | 18 |
| B.Com | 17 |
| BBA | 14 |
| MA | 12 |
| M.Com | 11 |
| BA | 10 |
| MCA | 9 |
| M.Sc | 9 |
| BCA | 5 |
Many of these universities are best known for engineering, medicine or nursing. None of those can be taught online: UGC's public notice of 11 November 2024 prohibits them in online and distance mode, and Regulation 4(C)(ii) bars any programme with laboratory work except where the practicals are coding.
Our pillar on online degree courses in India sets out the full allowed and barred list.
Online or distance: two different choices in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu also has a large distance education sector. For 2026-27 the register lists 265 distance (ODL) entries at 17 institutions based in the state. ODL is a separate entitlement: the university uses study material and contact sessions, and runs admissions, contact classes and exams within its territorial jurisdiction.
Online mode has no territorial limit under Regulation 4(C)(i) of the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020. A Tamil Nadu university can enrol you online wherever you live, and a student in Chennai or Coimbatore can join an online programme from a university in another state.
Our explainer on what online education means under UGC rules sets out both modes side by side.
Is an online degree from a Tamil Nadu university valid?
Yes, when the entitlement covers your programme and session. Regulation 22 of the 2020 regulations treats an entitled online degree as equivalent to the same degree earned on campus, and Regulation 23(2) protects your admission if the university loses entitlement in a later year.
Fees change each session and differ by university. Check the current fee on each university's official portal. If you are focused on management, our guide to online MBA options in Tamil Nadu goes deeper on that one programme.
How to check a Tamil Nadu university's online programme
- Open the HEI programme list on deb.ugc.ac.in.
- Search for the university.
- Find the exact programme and check the year (2026-27), the session (July) and the mode column.
- Create your DEB ID before you enrol.
Our step-by-step guide on how to check UGC-DEB approval walks through each field of the register.
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Sources
- UGC-DEB HEI programme register (HEI_Prog_List), entries for universities in Tamil Nadu for 2026-27, read on 2 November 2026: deb.ugc.ac.in
- UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, Regulations 4(C), 22 and 23: deb.ugc.ac.in/Regulations
- UGC public notice F.No. 1-34/2024 (DEB-I), 11 November 2024, programmes prohibited in ODL and Online mode: deb.ugc.ac.in
Checked against the UGC-DEB register on 2 November 2026. Counts are register entries for the 2026-27 July session. Entitlements are granted by session and can change. Confirm the current position on deb.ugc.ac.in before you enrol.
Comparing Tamil Nadu universities?
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Frequently Asked Questions
For the 2026-27 July session, the UGC-DEB programme register lists 24 universities based in Tamil Nadu with at least one online programme, holding 147 online programme entries between them. The largest lists belong to Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (13 entries), SASTRA (12), Bharathiar University (11) and Amrita, Bharathidasan and Manonmaniam Sundaranar (10 each).
Yes. For 2026-27 the register lists nine online programme entries at the University of Madras: three undergraduate and six postgraduate.
By number of universities, the online MBA: 18 of the 24 Tamil Nadu universities are entitled for at least one online MBA entry for 2026-27. The online B.Com follows at 17 universities and the online BBA at 14.
Yes. Territorial jurisdiction does not apply to online programmes under Regulation 4(C)(i) of the UGC ODL and Online Regulations, 2020, and Regulation 23(4) lets a learner anywhere in India or abroad enrol. A student in Tamil Nadu can equally join an online-entitled university based elsewhere.
Yes, when the university is UGC-DEB entitled for that programme in online mode for your session. Regulation 22 of the 2020 regulations treats an entitled online degree as equivalent to the same degree earned on campus.
For 2026-27 the register lists 265 distance (ODL) programme entries at 17 institutions based in Tamil Nadu. Distance mode ties admissions, contact classes and exams to the university's territorial jurisdiction, so it is a separate choice from online mode.
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