The Post Graduate Certificate in Climate Change (PGCCC) is a 6-month, 16-credit postgraduate certificate programme offered by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) through its School of Inter-Disciplinary and Trans-Disciplinary Studies (SOITS). Delivered entirely in Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, the programme was developed in response to the growing need for climate change awareness and action, as emphasized by various ministries of the Government of India. It covers human influences on climate, consequences of climate change, international conventions and protocols, impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and mitigation and adaptation strategies. The total programme fee is Rs 4,000 (plus applicable registration and development fees), making it one of the most affordable postgraduate-level climate change programmes in India. The programme is particularly popular among environmental science teachers, NGO professionals, environmental executives, policy makers, and journalists.
Admissions to PGCCC are offered twice a year in the January and July sessions. As of March 2026, the January 2026 session admission deadline has been extended to 30th March 2026 for ODL programmes. The next July 2026 session is expected to open in May 2026, with a tentative last date around October 2026 (based on the July 2025 session pattern).
The programme is offered in Distance (ODL) mode and is available across a wide network of IGNOU Regional Centres across India, including Hyderabad, Karnal, Shimla, Jammu, Bangalore, Bhopal, Pune, Imphal, Shillong, Aizawl, Port Blair, Kohima, Bhubaneswar, Khanna, Jaipur, Gangtok, Chennai, Agartala, Lucknow, Kolkata, Itanagar, Srinagar, Dehradun, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Raipur, Nagpur, Jorhat, Noida, Guwahati, Trivandrum, Jabalpur, Rajkot, Koraput, Siliguri, Darbhanga, Aligarh, Varanasi, Mumbai, Patna, Raghunathganj, Chandigarh, Delhi, Panaji, Bhagalpur, Vatakara, Visakhapatnam, Bijapur, Saharsa, Deoghar, Jodhpur, and Ahmedabad. Students should verify the availability of PGCCC at their preferred centre on the official IGNOU admission portal before applying.
Key Points
- The programme is offered by the School of Inter-Disciplinary and Trans-Disciplinary Studies (SOITS), reflecting its cross-disciplinary approach to climate change.
- Curriculum includes 3 compulsory courses: MEV-021 (Introduction to Climate Change, 4 credits), MEV-022 (Impacts of Climate Change, 4 credits), MEV-023 (Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change, 4 credits), and 1 optional course chosen from MEV-024 (Climate Change Assessment Tools, 4 credits) or MEV-025 (Climate Change and Society, 4 credits).
- The programme is particularly suited for school and college teachers of Environmental Sciences, NGO professionals, environmental executives, policy makers, and journalists.
- Available in English medium only.
- Maximum duration to complete the programme is 2 years.
- No entrance examination is required; admission is based on eligibility.
- The programme is recognized by all member institutions of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
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