Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University

Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) was established on July 1, 1989, by an Act XX (1989) of the Maharashtra State Legislature, making it the fifth open university in the country. The university's jurisdiction covers the entire state of Maharashtra and is recognized under section 12 (B) of the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi.

It is also a member of various prestigious associations and bodies, including the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), and International Council for Distance Education (ICDE).

The YCMOU aims to become a "Mass Varsity" and reach the unreached segments of society by providing need-based academic programs of various levels, ranging from certificate to postgraduate programs.

The university has its headquarters in Nashik, regional centers in eight regions, and 1711 learner support centers spread across Maharashtra.

Maharashtra has a long and rich tradition of educational reformers, including Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, Swami Ramanand Teerth, and other great thinkers and reformers who contributed to the educational movement in the state.

Hence, it was appropriate that the state established an open university. The university was established on July 1, 1989, through Act XX of 1989 of the Maharashtra State Legislature, aptly named after Shri Yashwantrao Chavan, the father of agro-industrial development in modern Maharashtra.