- ✓Can I do a library science course online in India?
- ✓Which universities offer an online BLISc?
- ✓Which universities offer an online MLISc?
Library science is one of the few professional subjects that UGC allows fully online. The list of universities entitled to teach it online is short, and it is not the same list as the distance-mode one. Here is the 2026-27 register, level by level.
Short answer: yes, you can earn a UGC-valid library science degree online in India. For the 2026-27 July session, the UGC-DEB programme register lists three universities for an online BLISc (Aligarh Muslim University, IGNOU and Pt.
Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Chhattisgarh) and seven for an online MLISc. Another 38 institutions offer library science by distance (ODL), which is a different entitlement.
- Online BLISc, 2026-27: 3 universities
- Online MLISc, 2026-27: 7 universities
- Online BA with library science as a subject: Choudhary Charan Singh University
- Distance (ODL) library science, 2026-27: 38 institutions
- Same value as campus? Yes, Regulation 22 of the UGC ODL and Online Regulations, 2020
Which universities offer an online library science degree for 2026-27?
The UGC-DEB HEI programme register records each entitlement by year, session and mode. These are the library science entries marked Online for the 2026-27 July session:
| University | Type | Online BLISc | Online MLISc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh | Central University | Yes | Yes |
| IGNOU, Delhi | Central Open University | Yes | No (ODL only) |
| Pt. Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University, Chhattisgarh | State Open University | Yes | Yes |
| Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh | Central University | No | Yes |
| Yenepoya, Karnataka | Deemed University | No | Yes |
| Desh Bhagat University, Punjab | Private University | No | Yes |
| Guru Kashi University, Punjab | Private University | No | Yes |
| Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Gujarat | State Open University | No | Yes |
Choudhary Charan Singh University is entitled for an online BA (combination of three subjects) in which library science is one subject option. That is a general BA, not a professional BLISc.
Entitlements move between sessions. Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya was listed for an online BLISc in 2024-25 and 2025-26 but holds only the online MLISc for 2026-27. Check the register for the session you are applying to.
An MLISc listed for "Open and Distance Learning" is not an online MLISc. The mode column decides it.
BLISc and MLISc: which one do you need?
The BLISc (Bachelor of Library and Information Science) is the entry qualification for library work. Universities usually admit graduates to it, so it is not a course straight after Class 12. The MLISc (Master of Library and Information Science) normally follows the BLISc.
Durations vary. The University of Delhi, for example, lists both its distance BLISc and MLISc as one-year programmes in the register. Confirm the duration, the eligibility and whether a BLISc is required for the MLISc on the university's own admission page before you apply.
Online or distance library science: what is the difference?
UGC treats them as separate entitlements under the UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020. Online mode is delivered over the internet with online or proctored exams, and you can enrol from anywhere.
Distance (ODL) mode uses study material and contact sessions, and the university must run admissions, contact programmes and exams within its territorial jurisdiction.
For 2026-27, 38 institutions hold library science entries in ODL mode: 31 for the BLISc and 31 for the MLISc. They include IGNOU, Karnataka State Open University, Netaji Subhas Open University and several state universities in Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Telangana.
Our explainer on what online education means under UGC rules sets out both modes side by side.
Is an online library science degree valid for jobs?
The degree is valid when the entitlement covers your session. Library science is not on UGC's list of disciplines prohibited in online mode, and Regulation 22 of the 2020 regulations treats an entitled online degree as equivalent to the campus degree.
Employers set their own recruitment rules for librarian posts. Read the eligibility clause of each advertisement, and keep your DEB ID and the university's entitlement for your session on file. Our guide on whether an online degree is valid in India covers acceptance in more detail.
How to check a library science programme yourself
- Open the HEI programme list on deb.ugc.ac.in.
- Search for the university and find the Library and Information Science row.
- Check the year (2026-27), the session (July) and the mode column: Online or Open and Distance Learning.
- Create your DEB ID before you enrol.
Our step-by-step guide on how to check UGC-DEB approval walks through the register. Fees change each session and differ by university, so check the current fee on the official portal before you apply.
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Sources
- UGC-DEB HEI programme register (HEI_Prog_List), library science entries for 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27, read on 2 November 2026: deb.ugc.ac.in
- UGC (Open and Distance Learning Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, Regulation 22: 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. Entitlements are granted by session and can change. Confirm the current position on deb.ugc.ac.in before you enrol.
Comparing online degree options?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For the 2026-27 July session, the UGC-DEB programme register lists online library science degrees at nine universities. Three are entitled for the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLISc) online and seven for the Master (MLISc). Choudhary Charan Singh University also offers library science as one subject in an online BA.
For 2026-27 the register lists the BLISc in online mode at Aligarh Muslim University, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Pt. Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Chhattisgarh.
For 2026-27 the register lists the MLISc in online mode at Aligarh Muslim University, Desh Bhagat University, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Guru Kashi University, Pt. Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Chhattisgarh and Yenepoya.
The degree is valid when the university is UGC-DEB entitled for it in online mode for your session. Regulation 22 of the UGC ODL and Online Regulations, 2020 treats it as equivalent to the campus degree.
Each employer sets its own recruitment rules, so read the eligibility clause of the specific post you are applying for.
Both. For 2026-27 the register lists IGNOU's Bachelor of Library and Information Science in online mode and in distance (ODL) mode, and its Master of Library and Information Science in ODL mode only. Check which mode your application form names.
For 2026-27, 38 institutions hold library science entries in distance (ODL) mode, with 31 offering the BLISc and 31 offering the MLISc. Distance mode ties admissions, contact classes and exams to the university's territorial jurisdiction.
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