Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University came into existence in the year 1987 on the 23rd of July and the university is functioning from the city of Kota in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The university specifically focuses on courses under informatics, library science, commerce and humanities. Among the different objectives of the university, the main aim is to seek to educate those deprived under the traditional system of education. The study centres of the university is geographically distributed throughout the state of Rajasthan with six regional centres apart from a special centre in the city of New Delhi.

The previous name of the Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University is Kota Open University and it got its present name in the year 2002 through a notification issued by the Government of Rajasthan. The university’s establishment took place with the bringing together of two institutions of correspondence courses namely Institute of Correspondence Studies and Continuing Education in Jaipur and the College of Correspondence Studies in Udaipur. Some of the departments functioning under Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University are department of Botany, education, English, Hindi, Law, commerce, computer science, library & information sciences, economics, history, management and political science. The list of courses offered by the Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University under different levels of education is given below:

Bachelor’s Degree Programmes:

• Bachelor of Science (pass)

• Bachelor of Science (Bridge course)

• Bachelor of Library & Information Sciences

• Bachelor of Journalism (Mass Communication)

• Bachelor of Computer Applications

• Bachelor of Commerce (pass)

• Bachelor of Commerce Preparatory Programme

• Bachelor of Business Administration

• Bachelor of Arts (pass)

• Bachelor of Arts Preparatory Programme

Certificate Courses:

• Certificate in

o AIDS and Family Education (CAFE)

o Apabhransha Language (CAL)

o Application Software and Web Designing (CAWD)

o Awareness of Gandhian Method (CPGM)

o Computer Accounting (CCA)

o Computer Networking and Internet (CCNI)

o Computing (CIC)

o Culture and Tourism (CCT)

o Disaster Management (CDM)

o Distance Education (CDE)

o Food and Nutrition (CFN)

o Functional English (CFE)

o Functional Rajasthani (CFR)

o Legal Awareness for Women (CLAW)

o Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Mate (CPNM)

o Obstetrics Assistance (COA)

o Osteopathy (COS)

o Panchayati Raj Project (CPRP)

o Prakrit Language (CPL)

o Programming in C++ and Java (CPCJ)

o Rajasthani Language and Culture (CRLC)

o Salesmanship and Marketing (CSM)

o Tourist Guidance (CTG)

o VB and Dot net (CPVB)

o Computer Awareness and Training Programme for Beginners (CTB)

Diploma Courses:

• Diploma in

o Accounting Management (DAM)

o Computer Accounting (DCA)

o Computer in Office Management (DCOM)

o Culture and Tourism (DCT)

o Library and Information Science (DLIS)

o Nutrition and Health Education (DNHE)

o Poultry Management (DPM)

o Social Problems of Rajasthan (DSPR)

o Tourism Management (DTM)

o Watershed Management (DWSM)

Doctoral Programmes:

• Doctor of Philosophy in

o Commerce

o Economics

o Education

o History

o Library Science

o Management

o Political Science

Management Programmes:

• Master of Business Administration

• Post Graduate Diploma in

o Marketing Management (PGDMM)

o Human Resource Management (PGDHM)

o Financial Management (PGDFM)

PG Courses:

• Master of Arts in

o Economics (MAEC)

o Education (MAED)

o Gandhi and Peace Studies (MAGP)

o Hindi (MAHD)

o Political Science (MAPS)

o Rajasthani (MARJ)

o Sanskrit (MASA)

o English (MAEG)

o Public Administration (MAPA)

o History (MAHI)

o Sociology (MASO)

• Master of Commerce (MCOM)

• Master Computer Science (MScCS)

• Master of Arts/Science in

o Mathematics (MA/MscMT)

o Geography (MAGE/MSc.GE)

• Master of Journalism (Mass Communication) MJ (MC )

• Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)

M. Phil Programmes:

• Master of Philosophy in

o Economics (MPEC)

o English (MPEG)

o Geography (MPGE)

o Hindi (MPHD)

o History (MPHI)

o Library and Information Science (MPLS)

o Political Science (MPPS)

o Sanskrit (MPSA)

PG Diploma Courses:

• PG Diploma in

o Computer Application (PGDCA)

o Environment and Sustainable Development (PGDESD)

o Gandhian Non-Violent Conflict Resolution (PGDGN)

o Labour Laws, Industrial Relations and Personnel Management (PGDLL)

o Tourism and Hotel Management (PGDTH)

o Water Resource Management (PGDWR)

Professional Course:

• Bachelor of Education

Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University offers education through its regional centres spread in the cities of Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota and Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan. The university has four types of study centres under its control operating in different parts of the state of Rajasthan namely regular study centres, satellite study centres for army and rural areas, cliental specific study centres (Eg. Army and women) and programme specific study centres (eg. Bachelor of Education). All study centres have facilities like rooms for counseling and conduct of examination, part-time staff from host institution, limited working hours and separate reserved space in the local educational institutions. Thus, Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University is developing as the best open university by offering the best education under open education scheme.