OSOU BA 2026: Eligibility, Fee, Duration and Syllabus
Odisha State Open University (OSOU) offers 4-year BA (Honours) degree programmes in Economics, English, Hindi, History, Odia, and Political Science. For the August 2026 session (Academic Year 2026-27), online admissions opened on 19 June 2026 and the last date to apply was extended to 07 October 2026. Applications are submitted online via the OSOU admission portal with mandatory ABC ID and DEB ID registration.
Key facts
| Minimum Duration | 4 Years |
|---|---|
| Maximum Duration | 7 Years |
| August 2026 Admission Start | 19 June 2026 |
| August 2026 Extended Last Date | 07 October 2026 |
| January 2026 Session Deadline | 06 March 2026 |
| Exam Fee | Rs. 200 per course |
BA Honours Programmes and Duration
OSOU offers Bachelor of Arts (Honours) undergraduate degree programmes across six disciplines under distance learning mode. The minimum duration to complete a BA Honours degree is 4 years, with a maximum allowable period of 7 years.
OSOU has not published specific minimum academic eligibility rules for BA programmes on its portal as of 02 October 2026.
OSOU BA Honours Programmes Overview
| Programme Name | Code | Medium | Min Duration | Max Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Economics | BAEC | English | 4 Years | 7 Years |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English | BAEG | English | 4 Years | 7 Years |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Hindi | BAHD | Hindi | 4 Years | 7 Years |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History | BAHI | English | 4 Years | 7 Years |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Odia | BAOD | Odia | 4 Years | 7 Years |
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science | BAPS | English | 4 Years | 7 Years |
Admission Calendar for 2026 Sessions
Admissions at OSOU are conducted in two sessions. For the Academic Year 2026-27 (August 2026 session), online application submission commenced on 19 June 2026 and the deadline was extended through multiple notices to 07 October 2026.
For the earlier January 2026 academic session, admissions opened on 16 January 2026 and closed on 06 March 2026 after extension.
OSOU Admission Session Schedule 2026
| Academic Session | Start Date | Extended Last Date |
|---|---|---|
| August 2026 Session (2026-27) | 19 June 2026 | 07 October 2026 |
| January 2026 Session | 16 January 2026 | 06 March 2026 |
Online Application Steps and Upload Guidelines
Prospective students must complete the application on the official OSOU online admission portal. Prior to filling out the application form, candidates must generate an Academic Bank of Credit (ABC ID) and DEB ID on the UGC-DEB student portal.
- Photograph: JPG format, 500 × 600 px, maximum size 200 KB
- Signature: JPG format, 400 × 80 px, maximum size 200 KB
- Scanned Name in Odia: JPG format, 400 × 80 px, maximum size 200 KB (may upload in English if unable to write in Odia)
- Educational Qualification Certificates: JPG or PDF format, maximum size 300 KB
- Category Certificate (SC/ST/OBC Non-Creamy Layer, if applicable): JPG or PDF format, maximum size 300 KB
- PwD Certificate (if applicable): JPG or PDF format, maximum size 300 KB
- Go to the online admission portal and click on ‘NEW REGISTRATION’ using a valid email ID and mobile number.
- Log in with the registered credentials and select ‘Proceed to Apply’.
- Fill in Step 1 (Personal Information) and click ‘Save & Continue’.
- Enter academic records in Step 2 (Academic Information) and click ‘Save & Continue’.
- Upload scanned images of photograph, signature, Odia name, and qualifying certificates under Step 3 (Document Upload).
- Pay the programme fee online via the available payment gateway in Step 4 (Online Payment).
- Review all details in Step 5 (Edit or Submit), save as draft if revisions are needed, or click ‘Save & Submit’ for final submission.
- Print the completed application form using the ‘Print Application Form’ option for personal reference. Hard copy submission to the university is not required.
Fees and Examination Details
OSOU has not published the updated per-year fee structure for BA programmes for the 2026-27 academic session on its portal as of 02 October 2026. For the February 2025 session, programme fees were Rs. 7,500 per year, with additional one-time charges of Rs. 400 for Certificate Fee and Rs. 100 for Alumni Fee.
Students must submit examination forms online for Term End Examinations. The examination fee is Rs. 200 per course, paid online during exam form fill-up. Final course evaluation is based on assignment submissions and term-end examinations conducted at allotted university examination centers.
Learning Resources and Study Material
BA students access digital study materials and assignments via the OSOU Learning Management System and e-Resources portal. In addition to electronic resources, printed Self Learning Materials (SLMs) are provided to enrolled students in accordance with distance learning guidelines.
Important OSOU links
| What you can do | Official page |
|---|---|
| Apply online for OSOU BA admission | onlineadmission.osou.ac.in/ |
| Read August 2026 admission extension notice | osou.ac.in/news.php?item=admission-academic-year-2026-27-s |
| Check January 2026 admission details | osou.ac.in/news.php?item=admission-open-for-academic-sessi |
| View list of programmes offered | osou.ac.in/programmes.php |
| Access OSOU LMS portal | lms.osou.ac.in/ |
| Login to OSOU student portal | webportal.osou.ac.in/ |
Official documents (PDF)
- ADMISSION NOTICE PDF — Official admission notice for August 2026 session
- 2nd Extension Notice PDF — Second extension notification for August 2026 admissions
- 3rd Extension Notice PDF — Third extension notice extending admission deadline to October 2026
Frequently asked questions
Does OSOU offer a B.Ed program?
No, OSOU does not list a B.Ed programme among its active programmes on offer for admission. Currently active schools include Social Sciences and Humanities, Business and Management Studies, Computer and Information Sciences, and Media.
What BA Honours subjects are available at OSOU?
OSOU offers BA (Honours) degrees in six subjects: Economics (BAEC), English (BAEG), Hindi (BAHD), History (BAHI), Odia (BAOD), and Political Science (BAPS).
What is the duration of the BA Honours programme at OSOU?
The BA Honours programme has a minimum duration of 4 years and a maximum duration of 7 years.
What was the last date for BA admission for the August 2026 session?
The last date for admission to the Academic Year 2026-27 (August 2026 session) was extended to 07 October 2026.
How much is the examination fee per paper at OSOU?
The examination fee is Rs. 200 per course, which must be paid online during the Term End Examination form fill-up.
Do I need to send hard copies of my application form to OSOU?
No, students do not need to send hard copies of the printed application form or certificates to OSOU after completing the online submission.
Sources
Written from the official OSOU pages and documents below, as read on 2 October 2026.
- e-Resources | Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur osou.ac.in/…/eresources.php
- Admission Online Admission 2026-27 onlineadmission.osou.ac.in
- Last Date of Admission Extended for Academic Year 2026-27 Session… osou.ac.in/…/news.php
- Extension of Last Date of Admission for Session January 2026 osou.ac.in/…/news.php
- Extension of Last Date of Submission of Form for Term… osou.ac.in/…/news.php
- Admission Open for Academic Year 2024-25, Session begining from Febraury,… osou.ac.in/…/news.php
- Notice: Submission of Form for Term End Examination June 2025… osou.ac.in/…/news.php