Tamil Nadu Open University is established by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2002, and it has been constantly contributing for the promotion of higher education in the State as well as in the nation since 2003. The TNOU has reached the considerable height during the past 17 years in the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in India. The Draft National Education Policy (2019) envisages that the Open and Distance Education will become a strong stakeholder in the Higher Education sector. Of course, as per the All India Survey on Higher Education 2018-19, the contribution of ODL in the total Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Indian Higher Education is 40.38 percentage.

With an aim of providing higher education to all sections of the society at their door steps, the TNOU extends its academic services to the rural mass, women, employees and under privileged. While the University has so far produced about 2.12 lakhs graduates, it has 34,027 learners on roll in various Programmes from certificate to Research level.

The University offers 39 UG, 33 PG, 02 PG Diploma, 4 Diploma, and 14 Vocational Diploma Programmes for the AY 2020-21 with the due approval of UGC-DEB.

The University has also been providing robust student support services through its 8 Regional Centers, 54 Learner Support Centres and 241 Community colleges established across the State. The admission processes and other administrative functions are being brought under online as well as offline.

Moreover, the University is now planning to transform its academic programmes for othering through the Massive Open Online (MOOCs) Courses and the Study Webs- Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM).