Hyderabad: The Dr BR Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) on Wednesday, July 15, got the University Grants Commission (UGC) approval to add five new academic courses to its curriculum.

The approved courses are MA Education, MA Education (School Administration), Master of Social Work, MSc Geography and the renewed BEd Special Education programme. These will begin in the 2026-27 academic year.

In June, a UGC expert committee conducted a virtual inspection to assess academic readiness, facilities, learner support, digital resources and regulatory compliance.

In a statement, the BRAOU said, “The new courses were added after Telangana School Education Secretary Yogita Rana sought professional development opportunities for teachers through open and distance learning.”

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ghanta Chakrapani said the courses would help teachers upgrade their qualifications in school administration, educational leadership and management. He added that BRAOU has proposed an MoU with the School Education Department to train teachers across Telangana in phases.

The university will issue the admission notification shortly.