Indira Gandhi National Open University
Permanent

IGNOU Associate Professor Recruitment 2026

Sourced from Official Government PDF
Sep. 22, 2026
Associate Professor

Required Qualification

Postgraduate288
Ph.D91
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Quick Recruitment Snapshot

Key recruitment parameters at a glance before you apply

Vacancies
Various / Not Disclosed
Pay Scale
Academic Level 13A (₹1,31,400 – ₹2,17,100)
Age Limit
As per UGC / Central University Norms (Superannuation at 65 Years)
Job Location
Delhi87New Delhi86

Crucial Recruitment Dates

Official schedule & key deadlines

Published

Sep 19, 2026

2

Starts

Sep 20, 2026

3

Deadline

Oct 20, 2026

4

Exam Date

TBA

Application Window20 Sep – 20 Oct 2026
Exam / Test DateTo Be Announced

Eligibility Criteria & Educational Qualifications

Who is eligible to apply for this recruitment? Check essential educational qualifications, branch/stream criteria, and age limits.

Educational Qualification

Minimum qualifications for the post of Associate Professor across Schools of Studies:

  • General Disciplines (Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, Continuing Education, Tourism & Hospitality, InterDisciplinary Studies, Social Work, Foreign Languages): A good academic record with a Ph.D. Degree in the concerned/allied/relevant disciplines; a Master’s degree with at least 55% marks (or equivalent grade); a minimum of 8 years of teaching and/or research experience in an academic/research position equivalent to Assistant Professor; a minimum of 7 publications in peer-reviewed or UGC-listed journals; and a minimum total research score of 75 as per UGC Regulations 2018 (Appendix I).
  • Discipline of Health Science (School of Health Sciences): MS/MD in the concerned subject from an MCI-recognized Medical College in Preventive and Social Medicine / Community Medicine / Hospital Administration / Community Health Administration; 5 years post-PG experience, including 4 years as Assistant Professor in an approved Medical College with 2 research publications in indexed journals as first or corresponding author.
  • Discipline of Nursing (School of Health Sciences): Master’s degree in Nursing (M.Sc Nursing) with at least 55% marks; minimum 10 years of teaching experience after M.Sc. Nursing in a College of Nursing/University in a position equivalent to Assistant Professor. Desirable: Doctorate/M.Phil.
  • Marks Relaxation: A relaxation of 5% marks (from 55% to 50%) is provided at the Master's level for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)/PwBD candidates.

Age Limit & Relaxations

No specific minimum or upper age limit is prescribed. Age and superannuation are governed by UGC Regulations and IGNOU Statutes (superannuation age is 65 years).

Check Your Age Eligibility

Selection Procedure & Screening Stages

Verified Official Source

Multi-stage interview and rubric-based evaluation procedure.

Academic & Research Score Screening

Offline ScrutinyQualifying Only

Personal Interview before Selection Committee

In-Person InterviewMerit Scored

Applications received are screened by a designated Screening Committee in accordance with UGC Regulations 2018. Candidates are evaluated based on their Academic and Research Score (minimum threshold of 75 points required). Up to a maximum of 15 candidates per post are shortlisted and invited for personal interview. Final selection is determined solely on the basis of candidate performance in the interview before the statutory Selection Committee; screening marks carry no weightage in the final interview evaluation.

Selection Criteria & Marking Scheme

Verified Official Source

Official weightage breakdown, qualification scoring, and interview evaluation criteria.

Evaluation Area / ComponentAssessment Criteria & Guidelines
Evaluation Component8 points per paper for Faculty of Sciences / Medical / Computer Science; 10 points per paper for Arts / Humanities / Social Sciences / Languages / Management. Augmented by journal impact factor.
Evaluation ComponentAuthored books: 12 points (International publisher), 10 points (National publisher); Chapter in edited book: 5 points; Editor of book: 10 points (International), 8 points (National); Translation works: 3 to 8 points.
Evaluation ComponentInnovative pedagogy: 5 points; Design of new curricula/courses: 2 points per course; Complete 4-credit MOOCs: 20 points; Complete e-Content course: 12 points.
Evaluation ComponentPh.D. degree awarded: 10 points per candidate (5 points for thesis submitted); M.Phil./PG dissertation: 2 points; Completed project (>10 lakhs): 10 points; Ongoing project (>10 lakhs): 5 points; Consultancy: 3 points.
Evaluation ComponentPatents: 10 points (International), 7 points (National); Policy documents submitted to UN/Central/State Gov: 4 to 10 points; International awards: 7 points, National: 5 points.
Evaluation ComponentInternational presentation abroad: 7 points; within country: 5 points; National: 3 points; State/University: 2 points (Capped at 30% combined with policy documents).

Aspirant Ground Reality & Career Trajectory

Verified Official Source

Practical service rules, posting locations, transfer policy, and promotion ladder curated from official gazettes.

Work Culture & Environment

Office/fieldwork balance, duties, organizational environment.

An Associate Professor at IGNOU headquarters in Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, undertakes curriculum formulation and instructional design specialized for open and distance learning (ODL). Core duties include authoring Self-Learning Materials (SLMs), delivering interactive radio counseling over Gyan Vani, conducting nationwide teleconferencing via Gyan Darshan, designing SWAYAM MOOCs, supervising Ph.D. scholars, and coordinating program revisions with pan-India regional centers. The role provides high research autonomy with standard central university academic working hours.

Posting & Transfer Policy

Initial posting criteria, zone preferences, transfer liability.

The post is a regular permanent Central University faculty appointment located primarily at the IGNOU Main Campus in Maidan Garhi, New Delhi. Faculty members are attached to their designated School of Studies, with occasional domestic travel for academic coordination or center inspections.

Career & Promotion Ladder

Promotion timeline, seniority ladder, pay grade scaling.

Under the UGC Career Advancement Scheme (CAS), Associate Professors at Academic Level 13A (entry pay ₹1,31,400) become eligible for promotion to Professor at Academic Level 14 (entry pay ₹1,44,200) after completing 3 years of regular service, meeting required research publication thresholds, guiding research scholars, and clearing the Statutory Selection Committee interview.
Crucial Application Warnings & Eligibility Traps

Avoid common application rejection triggers, photo/signature guidelines, and certificate validity windows.

  • Both online submission (deadline: 20.10.2026) and postal dispatch of the bound hard copy with supporting documents (deadline: 30.10.2026) to the Director, ACD, IGNOU, New Delhi are mandatory; failure to submit hard copies results in rejection.
  • A minimum verified research score of 75 under UGC Regulations 2018 Appendix I is strictly required for shortlisting; journal cover pages and content indexes must be enclosed with all claimed publications.
  • OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) certificates must be valid for Central Government employment and issued during the current financial year (FY 2026-27, between 01.04.2026 and the closing date).
  • Work experience claims must be validated with formal appointment letters, experience certificates explicitly citing pay scale and gross pay, accompanied by Form 16 or payslips/passbook entries.
  • Applicants from earlier advertisements (Advt No. 02/2022/ACD or 02/2023/ACD) must submit a fresh online application, though they are exempt from paying the ₹500 application fee upon providing evidence of prior payment.

Category-Wise Vacancy Breakdown & Pay Scale

Detailed post distribution across UR, OBC, EWS, SC, ST quotas and 7th CPC Pay Matrix / Monthly Stipend.

Category-Wise Vacancy Distribution

  • URAs per Roster
  • OBC (NCL)As per Roster
  • SCAs per Roster
  • STAs per Roster
  • EWSAs per Roster
  • PwBDAs per Roster
Total VacanciesVarious / Not Disclosed

Pay Scale & Monthly Remuneration

Pay scale is fixed at Academic Level 13A of the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) Pay Matrix (₹1,31,400 – ₹2,17,100 per month) along with applicable central allowances.

Central Government 7th CPC Academic Pay Level 13A with initial basic pay of ₹1,31,400 plus standard Central University allowances (DA, HRA, Transport Allowance).

Delhi Govt Salary Calculator

How to Apply Online Step-by-Step?

Follow this verified step-by-step application procedure on the official recruitment portal.

Application Procedure

  1. Visit the official IGNOU website at www.ignou.ac.in and access the Samarth recruitment portal link for Advertisement No. 01/2026/ACD.
  2. Complete the online application form with accurate personal particulars, academic qualifications, teaching/research experience, and research score metrics as per UGC Regulations 2018 (Appendix I).
  3. Upload self-attested digital copies of all requisite documents: Ph.D. degree certificate, Master's degree marks sheets, valid caste/category certificates (OBC-NCL issued for FY 2026-27), experience certificates with pay scale and gross pay details accompanied by Form 16/payslips, and copies of research publications with journal cover and contents pages.
  4. Pay the non-refundable application fee of ₹500/- online (UR/OBC/EWS) via Net Banking or Debit/Credit card. SC, ST, and PwBD candidates are exempt from payment.
  5. Submit the online form and take a clear printout of the generated application.
  6. Properly bind, tag, and page-number the printout along with self-attested supporting documents, and dispatch via registered or speed post to: Director, Academic Coordination Division, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068, on or before 30.10.2026. The envelope must be superscribed with post name, discipline, school, and advertisement number.

Application Fee & Category Concessions

Application fee is ₹500/- for UR, OBC, and EWS candidates payable online through Credit Card, Debit Card, or Net Banking. No application fee is charged from SC, ST, and PwBD candidates. Applicants from previous Advertisements 02/2022/ACD and 02/2023/ACD are exempted from fee payment upon furnishing proof of prior payment.

Official Notification & Portal Verification

Direct links to the authorized government portal, official notification PDF, and career portal.

Verified Official Domain
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Frequently Asked Questions & Crucial Aspirant Queries

5 Queries Resolved

Clear, verified answers to top eligibility, exam format, salary calculation, and application queries for this notification.

Selection consists of two stages: initial screening of applications based on UGC Regulations 2018 Academic & Research Score (minimum 75 points required) to shortlist up to 15 candidates per post, followed by a direct personal interview before the Statutory Selection Committee. Screening marks are not considered in the final interview evaluation.

Sarkari Job Khojo is an independent information service and job discovery platform. All recruitment insights, syllabi, previous year exam cutoffs, and selection stages are compiled from official government notifications, gazettes, and recruitment portals. We are not affiliated with, authorized by, or an official representative of any government agency or recruitment board. Always verify details in the official advertisement PDF before applying.

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