Mumbai: The University of Mumbai (MU) on Friday announced the opening of admissions for its Centre of Distance and Online Education (CDOE) for the 2025–26 academic year, with online applications accepted from June 14 until July 31.

This marks the first time that all undergraduate admissions at the CDOE are being conducted in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP), according to MU.

The CDOE, formerly known as the Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL), is offering direct admission to eligible candidates across a wide range of undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses.

According to the university, the initiative is aimed at providing flexible, affordable, and accessible education, particularly for students unable to pursue formal college education.

UG programmes include Bachelor of Arts degrees in subjects such as History, Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Psychology, Geography, Rural Development, Marathi, Hindi, and English.

Additionally, the university is offering BCom degrees in Commerce, Accountancy, Business Management, and Accounts and Finance, as well as BSc programmes in Information Technology and Computer Science.

At the PG level, admissions are open for MA degrees in History, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Marathi, Hindi, English, Geography, Education, Psychology, Communication and Journalism, and Public Relations. MCom courses in Advanced Accountancy and Business Management, MSc in Mathematics, IT, and Computer Science, along with the Master of Management Studies (MMS), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), and a PG Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM) are also available.

For the first time, the MA in Sociology programme will be offered fully online. From admissions to examinations, the entire course will be conducted digitally, enabling students from across the country to enrol irrespective of their location.

The CDOE, which operates centres at Churchgate, Thane, Kalyan, Ratnagiri, and Sawantwadi, provides guidance and distributes learning material from these locations. A new regional centre is expected to be launched in Palghar soon, according to CDOE Director Professor Shivaji Sargar.

Highlighting its inclusive aim, MU stated that the distance and online education system provides an alternative for students unable to secure places in regular colleges or those who cannot attend in-person classes due to personal or financial constraints.

Meanwhile, the entrance examinations for the MMS and MCA programmes, which are conducted through a competitive process, will soon be held online, the university confirmed.