Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Master of Arts in Folklore and Culture Studies (MAFCS) is a 2-year postgraduate programme offered by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode under the School of Inter-Disciplinary and Trans-Disciplinary Studies (SOITS). The programme has a minimum duration of 2 years and a maximum of 4 years, and is offered in English medium. The total programme fee is Rs. 14,000 (Rs. 7,000 per year). MAFCS is a modular programme where the first year (32 credits) leads to a Post Graduate Diploma in Folklore and Culture Studies (PGDFCS), and the second year completes the full MA degree. The programme aims to create specialized folklorists who can work in teaching, research, museums, archives, cultural institutions, film industry, TV channels, publishing houses, and government departments. It is one of the few dedicated postgraduate programmes in Folklore Studies available through distance learning in India.

Admission for the January 2026 session is currently ongoing. The last date to apply is 31 March 2026. Students can apply online at ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in. Re-registration for existing students is also open till 31 March 2026 (with a late fee of Rs. 200).

Distance Mode Study Centres

IGNOU MAFCS is offered exclusively through Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode. Students are assigned to a Study Centre (Learner Support Centre) for counselling sessions, assignment submission, and examinations. MAFCS has an extensive network of study centres available across all IGNOU Regional Centres in India, including in the following regional areas:

Hyderabad, Karnal, Shimla, Jammu, Bangalore, Bhopal, Pune, Imphal, Shillong, Aizawl, Port Blair, Kohima, Bhubaneswar, Khanna, Jaipur, Gangtok, Chennai, Agartala, Lucknow, Kolkata, Delhi, Noida, Guwahati, Trivandrum, Jabalpur, Rajkot, Koraput, Siliguri, Darbhanga, Aligarh, Varanasi, Mumbai, Patna, Ranchi, Jorhat, Dehradun, Raipur, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Vijayawada, Bijapur, Jodhpur, Saharsa, Deoghar, Bhagalpur, Vatakara, Chandigarh, Panaji, Itanagar, Srinagar, and more.

Students should visit the official IGNOU admission portal or their nearest Regional Centre to confirm the availability of MAFCS at a specific study centre.

Key Points

MAFCS is offered under the School of Inter-Disciplinary and Trans-Disciplinary Studies (SOITS), reflecting its interdisciplinary approach to folklore and culture.
The programme is modular: completing Year 1 (32 credits) earns a Post Graduate Diploma in Folklore and Culture Studies (PGDFCS), and completing Year 2 earns the full MA degree.
The programme covers Folklore and Culture: Conceptual Perspectives, Tradition, Identity and Cultural Production, Cultural and Societal Transformation, Tribes of India, Folklore Canon and Multimediality, Theories and Pedagogy of Folklore, Folk Representations, and Approaches to Folklore.
Year 1 includes a mandatory Project Manual (MFCP-005) worth 8 credits, providing hands-on fieldwork experience.
Year 2 includes a Translation Work component (MFC-010), adding a practical dimension to the programme.
MAFCS is one of the few dedicated postgraduate programmes in Folklore Studies available through distance learning in India.
The programme is available at all IGNOU Regional Centres, making it accessible across the country.

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Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

IGNOU MAFCS Fees

The MAFCS programme at IGNOU is an affordable postgraduate option for folklore enthusiasts and cultural studies scholars. The total programme fee is Rs. 14,000, payable at Rs. 7,000 per year. In addition to the tuition fee, students are required to pay a one-time Registration Fee of Rs. 300 and a Development Fee of Rs. 200 per year. The total cost of the programme including all charges comes to Rs. 14,700. There is no hostel facility associated with this ODL programme.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Year 1	Year 2	Total
Tuition Fee	Rs. 7,000	Rs. 7,000	Rs. 14,000
Registration Fee (one-time)	Rs. 300	-	Rs. 300
Development Fee	Rs. 200	Rs. 200	Rs. 400
Total Fees	Rs. 7,500	Rs. 7,200	Rs. 14,700

Exam fees are not included in the above fee structure and will be charged separately as decided by the University at the time of examination form submission.
Fees can be paid via Credit Card, Debit Card, or Internet Banking.
There is no hostel facility for ODL students.
Fee once paid is non-refundable except in cases where the student withdraws within the stipulated refund period as per IGNOU policy.
SC/ST students availing financial support are required to pay the University fee as applicable and may seek reimbursement through the scholarship portal.

IGNOU MAFCS Admission 2026

IGNOU follows a bi-annual admission cycle for MAFCS - January session and July session. The January 2026 session admission is currently open with the last date extended to 31 March 2026. Admission is merit-based with no entrance examination. Students can apply online through the official IGNOU admission portal. Selection is based on eligibility criteria only.

Important Dates

Event	Date
January 2026 Session Admission Opens	January 2026
Last Date for Fresh Admission (January 2026)	31 March 2026
Re-Registration Last Date (January 2026)	31 March 2026 (with late fee of Rs. 200)
Assignment Submission Last Date (June 2026 TEE)	31 March 2026
Exam Form Submission - June 2026 TEE (without late fee)	10 March 2026 to 10 April 2026
Exam Form Submission - June 2026 TEE (with late fee of Rs. 1,100)	11 April 2026 to 24 April 2026
June 2026 Term-End Examination (TEE) Begins	1 June 2026
June 2026 TEE Ends (Tentative)	15 July 2026
July 2026 Session Admission Opens (Tentative)	July 2026

Examination	Mode	Tentative Dates
IGNOU June 2026 Term-End Examination (TEE)	Pen & Paper / CBT	1 June 2026 to 15 July 2026
IGNOU December 2026 Term-End Examination (TEE)	Pen & Paper / CBT	December 2026 (dates to be announced)

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized University.
There is no minimum percentage requirement specified for admission.
There is no age bar for enrollment in the MAFCS programme.

Admission Process

Visit the official IGNOU admission portal at ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in.
Create a DEB ID (mandatory before starting the application process).
Register as a new user by providing username, password, email, and mobile number.
Log in and fill in the application form with personal, academic, and contact details.
Upload scanned copies of required documents (educational certificates, photo, signature, ID proof, category certificate if applicable).
Pay the programme fee online via Credit Card, Debit Card, or Internet Banking.
Submit the form and save the payment confirmation for future reference.
Candidates can also apply offline by visiting the nearest IGNOU Regional Centre.

IGNOU MAFCS Scholarships 2026

IGNOU MAFCS students can avail a range of scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) and IGNOU's own scholarship schemes. These scholarships are primarily targeted at students from SC, ST, OBC, minority, PwD, and economically weaker sections. The scholarship application process is largely offline, and students are advised to apply through their respective State Directorate of Social Welfare or IGNOU Regional Centre.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship Name	Eligibility	Benefit
Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students	SC category, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh per annum	Tuition fee reimbursement + maintenance allowance
Post Matric Scholarship for ST Students	ST category, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh per annum	Tuition fee reimbursement + maintenance allowance
Post Matric Scholarship for OBC Students	OBC category, family income below Rs. 1.5 lakh per annum	Tuition fee reimbursement
Post Matric Scholarship for Minorities	Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi communities, income below Rs. 2 lakh per annum	Tuition fee + maintenance allowance
IGNOU Special Scholarship	Women, differently-abled, transgender students	Partial fee waiver
IGNOU Merit Scholarship	High academic scorers in previous examinations	Merit-based financial assistance
National Fellowship for PwD Students	Students with disabilities enrolled in PG programmes	Financial aid and fee waiver

All NSP scholarships can be applied for at scholarships.gov.in after receiving admission confirmation from IGNOU.
The scholarship application process is offline; forms are available at the State Directorate of Social Welfare or IGNOU Regional Centres.
Students must not be receiving any other scholarship simultaneously.
Annual family income should not exceed Rs. 3,00,000 for most IGNOU scholarship schemes.
Scholarship notification for 2026-27 was released in December 2026; students should check the official IGNOU website and NSP portal for updated deadlines.

IGNOU MAFCS FAQs

Ques. What is Folklore Studies and why should I pursue IGNOU MAFCS?

Ans. Folklore Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the traditional cultural expressions of communities, including oral literature, folk music, folk art, rituals, customs, and beliefs. IGNOU MAFCS is one of the few dedicated postgraduate programmes in this field available through distance learning in India. It is ideal for those interested in cultural preservation, ethnography, tribal studies, and the documentation of India's rich intangible cultural heritage.

Ques. Can I exit after Year 1 of MAFCS with a diploma?

Ans. Yes, MAFCS is modular in nature. Students who complete Year 1 (32 credits) can exit with a Post Graduate Diploma in Folklore and Culture Studies (PGDFCS). This diploma is a recognized qualification that can be useful for employment in cultural institutions, museums, and government departments. Students who wish to complete the full MA can continue to Year 2.

Ques. What is the Project Manual (MFCP-005) in Year 1 of MAFCS?

Ans. The Project Manual (MFCP-005) is a mandatory fieldwork component worth 8 credits in Year 1. Students are required to conduct fieldwork in their local community, document folklore traditions (such as folk songs, folk tales, rituals, or folk art), and submit a project report. This hands-on component is one of the most distinctive features of MAFCS and provides students with practical experience in folklore documentation and ethnographic research.

Ques. What career opportunities are available after IGNOU MAFCS?

Ans. MAFCS graduates can work as folklorists, cultural researchers, curators in museums and archives, cultural officers in government departments, translators and interpreters of folk literature, musicologists, teachers and lecturers in folklore and cultural studies, content creators for film and TV, and folk entrepreneurs. Government institutions like the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sahitya Akademi, and state cultural departments regularly hire folklore specialists. Academic careers are also possible after qualifying NET/SET.

Ques. Is IGNOU MAFCS recognized for UGC NET in Folklore?

Ans. Yes, the IGNOU MAFCS degree is recognized by the UGC. However, students should note that UGC NET does not have a separate subject for Folklore Studies. MAFCS graduates may appear for NET in related subjects such as Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, or Tribal and Regional Language/Literature, depending on their specialization and the NET subject list. It is advisable to check the latest UGC NET subject list before planning for NET.

Ques. How is IGNOU MAFCS different from MA Sociology or MA Anthropology?

Ans. While MA Sociology and MA Anthropology also touch on cultural and community studies, MAFCS is specifically focused on folklore as a discipline. It covers folk literature, folk music, folk art, tribal cultures, and the theoretical frameworks for studying folklore. MAFCS has a stronger emphasis on cultural documentation, fieldwork, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. It is a more specialized programme for those who want to work specifically in the field of folklore and cultural studies.