The Directorate of Distance Education was started in 1972 as the Institute of Correspondence Courses to cater to the needs of students who could not pursue formal college education. These courses provide an opportunity to the students who discontinue education at an early stage to pursue higher studies because of lack of aptitude and motivation or for want of economic wherewithal. Individuals who look upon education as a life-time activity and like to enhance their knowledge in an existing discipline of study or acquire proficiency in a new area may also benefit from the courses. Distance Education is an attempt to diversify and proliferate academic beneficence far beyond the close confines of a classroom and to make it available to all those who aspire for higher learning. It has a special relevance in an egalitarian society, in so far as it does not have the “elitist bias” to education which is beyond the reach of many. Another advantage of such a programme is that it goes beyond the confines of University Jurisdiction.

The Institute of Correspondence Course was upgraded as the Directorate of Distance Education in 1994 as per the UGC norms.