Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management (PGDHRM) is a 1-year programme offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) through the Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode under the School of Management Studies (SOMS). The programme is designed to provide specialised knowledge in human resource management to graduates seeking to build or advance their careers in HR. It covers key areas including social processes, HRD, HR planning, industrial relations, organisational dynamics, compensation management, labour laws, and international HRM. The fee is Rs. 2,000 per paper (6 papers total = Rs. 12,000), making it one of the most affordable HR management qualifications in India. The programme is offered in English medium and is open to graduates with 50% marks (45% for reserved categories).

Admissions for the January 2026 session are currently ongoing, with the last date extended to 30th March 2026. The July 2026 session is expected to open tentatively in May 2026, based on the previous year's schedule.

Distance Learning Centres

Since PGDHRM is offered in ODL mode, IGNOU has an extensive network of Study Centres across India. Key regional centres include:

Hyderabad: Aurora's Business School; Kavitha Memorial Degree College; Lal Bahadur College
Karnal: Chotu Ram College of Education; Government PG College; Hindu College
Shimla: Government Degree Colleges (multiple); HP University
Jammu: University of Jammu
Bangalore: Bangalore Institute of Technology; BES College; St. Aloysius College, Mangalore; Vidyavardhaka First Grade College, Mysore
Cochin: Rural Academy for Management Studies (RAMS); Sacred Heart College; Sree Kerala Verma College
Bhopal: Holkar Science College; IGNOU RC Bhopal; Jiwaji University, Gwalior; Vikram University
Pune: DG Degree College of Commerce; KTHM College; North Maharashtra University; Vasantraodada Patil Institute of Management
Imphal: Manipur University
Shillong: North Eastern Hill University
Port Blair: JNR Mahavidyalaya
Bhubaneshwar: Khalikote College; KIIT, Patia; Ravenshaw College
Khanna: DAV College of Education for Women; Doaba College; Guru Nanak Girls College; MGDAV College
Jaipur: Government College, Ajmer; ISIM, Jaipur; Rajrishi College, Alwar
Gangtok: Sikkim Government College
Chennai: DDGD Vaishnava College; Guru Nanak College; Jaya College of Arts and Science
Agartala: Tripura University
Lucknow: Bareilly College; Bipin Bihari PG College, Jhansi; Jai Narain Degree College; National PG College
Kolkata: Banwarilal Bhalotia College; Dinabandhu Andrews College; St. Xavier's College
Delhi (ITO): Shyam Lal College; Technia Institute
Srinagar: Shri Pratap Singh College
Dehradun: DAV PG College; MB PG College, Haldwani
Ranchi: Bokaro Steel City College; Jamshedpur Cooperative College; Marwari College; PK Roy Memorial College, Dhanbad
Vijayawada: KBN College; TJPS College, Guntur; VR College, Nellore
Raipur: Govt. Arts and Science College; Govt ERR PG College, Bilaspur; Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla University
Nagpur: Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Institute of Management; Guru Nanak Bhawan; Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University
Jorhat: CKB Commerce College; Dibrugarh University
Delhi (Naraina): Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College; Dronacharya Government College
Noida: Babu Shivnath Agrawal College; Hindu College; MMH College, Ghaziabad; Meerut College
Guwahati: Guwahati University; KC Das Commerce College
Trivandrum: Catholicate College; Mar Ivanios Institute of Advance Studies; Sree Narayana College
Jabalpur: RDVV University, Jabalpur
Rajkot: IGNOU Study Centre Rajkot
Madurai: Bishop Heber College; Thiyagarajar College; HK Rowther Howdia College
Koraput: Aeronautics College, Sunabeda; Vikram Dev College
Siliguri: Kalimpong Govt. College; Salesian College
Darbhanga: BRA Bihar University
Aligarh: Aligarh Muslim University
Varanasi: Allahabad Degree College; DDU University, Gorakhpur; Udai Pratap Autonomous College
Mumbai: KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce; Mahatma Education Society
Patna: IGNOU RC Patna; Vanijya Mahavidyalaya
Chandigarh: Punjab University; DDE, Punjabi University, Patiala
Delhi (South): College of Vocational Studies; Dayal Singh College; Govt. College for Women
Panaji: BGVS Arts, Commerce and Science College; Sh. Damodar College of Commerce and Economics
Bhagalpur: Marwari College
Vatakara: JDT Islam; Nirmalagiri College
Visakhapatnam: Government College (Autonomous); Ideal College of Arts and Science
Bijapur: Gulbarga University; JSS College, Dharwad; OP Jindal Centre, Torangallu; Veerashiava College, Bellary
Deoghar: IGNOU RC Deoghar
Jodhpur: BJS Rampuria Jain College; Vidya Bhawan Rural Institute
Ahmedabad: LD Arts College; LJ Commerce College; MS University; Sardar Patel University
Army Study Centres: Available at Chandimandir, Lucknow, Pune, Udhampur

Students should visit ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in to find the nearest study centre offering PGDHRM.

Key Points

PGDHRM is offered by SOMS, IGNOU - the largest business school in the open learning system globally, lending strong academic credibility.
The programme has a unique structure: 1 compulsory course (MS-2: Management of Human Resources) + any 5 elective courses from 9 available options, allowing students to customise their learning.
Fee is charged per paper (Rs. 2,000 per paper), making it highly affordable and flexible.
Graduates with 50% marks (45% for reserved categories) are eligible; CA/CMA/CS qualification holders are also eligible.
Minimum duration 1 year; maximum 3 years, providing flexibility for working professionals.
No entrance exam required; students interested in specialisation PG Diploma can apply without clearing OPENMAT.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

IGNOU PGDHRM Fees

The PGDHRM programme at IGNOU is charged at Rs. 2,000 per paper. The programme consists of 1 compulsory paper and 5 elective papers (6 papers total), making the total programme fee Rs. 12,000. A one-time non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 300 and a development fee of Rs. 200 are charged additionally. Examination fees are charged separately.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Tuition Fee (1 Compulsory + 5 Elective Papers at Rs. 2,000 per paper)	12,000
Registration Fee (One-time, Non-refundable)	300
Development Fee	200
Examination Fee (per course, per exam)	As decided by IGNOU (approx. Rs. 200 per course)
Study Material	Included (soft copy via eGyanKosh; hard copy on request)
Total Fees (excluding exam fee)	12,500

Registration fee of Rs. 300 is non-refundable under all circumstances.
Fee refund: 15% of programme fee (max Rs. 2,000) deducted if cancellation after admission confirmation.
No refund after 60 days from closing date of admissions.
No EMI option; full fee payable at time of admission.
Payment via Credit Card, Debit Card, or Net Banking.
Students may apply for GoI scholarships on scholarships.gov.in after admission confirmation.

IGNOU PGDHRM Admission 2026

IGNOU PGDHRM admissions are open twice a year in January and July sessions. The January 2026 session is currently active with last date extended to 30th March 2026. No entrance exam required. July 2026 session expected to open tentatively in May 2026.

IGNOU PGDHRM Admission Dates

Event	Date
Start of Fresh Admissions (January 2026)	16th December 2025
Last Date for Fresh Admission (Extended)	30th March 2026
Re-registration Last Date (January 2026)	30th March 2026
Study Material Distribution	January - March 2026
Contact Programmes / Counselling	February - November 2026
Assignment Submission Deadline (January 2026 session)	30th April 2026
Assignment Submission Deadline (July 2026 session)	31st October 2026
Term-End Examination (June cycle)	June 2026
Term-End Examination (December cycle)	December 2026
Result Declaration	August 2026 (for June TEE)
Tentative Start of July 2026 Admissions	May 2026
Tentative Last Date for July 2026 Admissions	August 2026

Entrance Exam Dates

No separate entrance exam is required for PGDHRM. Students interested in specialisation PG Diploma programmes can apply without clearing OPENMAT, subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Any graduate (including Chartered Accountancy/Cost Accountancy/Company Secretaryship) with 50% marks for general category or 45% for reserved category as per Government of India rules.
Students should ensure their CGPA meets the eligibility percentage requirement.
No age bar for admission.

Admission Process

Visit ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in and click New Registration.
Select PGDHRM from the list of available programmes.
Fill the online application form with accurate personal and academic details.
Select 1 compulsory course (MS-2) and 5 elective courses from the available options.
Upload scanned documents: photograph, signature, 10th marksheet, graduation certificate and marksheet, category certificate (if applicable), ID proof.
Pay the programme fee online.
Submit and note the enrollment number for future reference.

IGNOU PGDHRM Scholarships 2026

PGDHRM students can explore scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal and state government schemes. Students are encouraged to apply on scholarships.gov.in after admission confirmation.

Available Scholarships

Scholarship	Eligibility	Amount / Benefit	Platform
NSP - Post-Matric SC Scholarship	SC students, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh/year	Tuition fee + maintenance allowance	scholarships.gov.in
NSP - Post-Matric ST Scholarship	ST students, family income below Rs. 2.5 lakh/year	Tuition fee + maintenance allowance	scholarships.gov.in
NSP - OBC Post-Matric Scholarship	OBC students, family income below Rs. 1 lakh/year	Partial fee reimbursement	scholarships.gov.in
NSP - Minority Scholarship	Minority students, income below Rs. 2.5 lakh/year	Partial fee support	scholarships.gov.in
State Government Scholarships	SC/ST/OBC/EWS students (varies by state)	Varies by state	State scholarship portals
IGNOU Fee Waiver (Notification No. 76)	SC/ST UG students only - NOT applicable to PG Diploma	100% tuition fee waiver	IGNOU portal

IGNOU Fee Waiver (Notification No. 76) applies only to UG programmes and does NOT cover PGDHRM.
Apply for NSP scholarships only after IGNOU enrollment number is generated.
NSP deadlines typically fall between October and December each year.
No double benefit allowed.

IGNOU PGDHRM FAQs

Ques. Do I need to clear OPENMAT to apply for IGNOU PGDHRM?

Ans. No. IGNOU has clarified that students interested in specialisation PG Diploma programmes like PGDHRM can apply for admission without clearing OPENMAT, subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria (graduation with 50% marks for general category, 45% for reserved categories). This makes PGDHRM directly accessible to eligible graduates.

Ques. Which 5 elective courses should I choose in PGDHRM?

Ans. The choice of electives depends on your career goals. If you are targeting corporate HR roles, MS-22 (HRD), MS-23 (HR Planning), MS-27 (Compensation and Rewards Management), and MS-25 (Managing Change in Organisations) are highly relevant. If you are interested in labour relations or legal aspects, MS-24 (Industrial Relations) and MS-28 (Labour Laws) are important. MS-29 (International HRM) is useful for those targeting MNCs or global HR roles.

Ques. Is IGNOU PGDHRM equivalent to an MBA in HR? Will employers accept it?

Ans. PGDHRM is a PG Diploma, not a full MBA degree. While it provides specialised HR knowledge, an MBA in HR is generally preferred for senior HR roles in large corporations. However, PGDHRM is widely accepted for mid-level HR roles, especially in SMEs, NGOs, and government organisations. It is particularly valuable as an add-on qualification for those already working in HR who want a formal credential.

Ques. What are the career opportunities after IGNOU PGDHRM?

Ans. After PGDHRM, you can work as HR Executive (Rs. 3-5 LPA), HR Manager (Rs. 5-8 LPA), Training and Development Manager (Rs. 4-7 LPA), Compensation and Benefits Analyst (Rs. 4-6 LPA), or Industrial Relations Officer (Rs. 4-7 LPA). The programme is particularly useful for those already working in HR, administration, or people management roles who want to formalise their knowledge.

Ques. Can I pursue PGDHRM if I have a B.Com with 48% marks?

Ans. No. The eligibility for PGDHRM requires a minimum of 50% marks for general category candidates. A B.Com with 48% does not meet the eligibility criteria for general category. However, if you belong to a reserved category (SC/ST/OBC as per GoI rules), the minimum requirement is 45%, in which case 48% would be eligible. You should verify your category eligibility before applying.

Ques. How is PGDHRM different from PGDIHRM at IGNOU?

Ans. IGNOU offers two HR management programmes: PGDHRM (Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management) under SOMS, which is the older programme with a per-paper fee structure, and PGDIHRM (Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management) which is a newer semester-based programme. Both are offered in ODL mode. PGDHRM has a more flexible structure (choose 5 from 9 electives), while PGDIHRM follows a fixed semester curriculum. Students should check the current admission portal to confirm which programme is active for their preferred session.