The Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (YCMOU) was established on 1st July 1989 by the Act XX- (1989) of Maharashtra State Legislature. The headquarters of the University is located at Nashik. The University campus is aptly named as ‘Dnyangangotri’ (River of Knowledge) and is spread over sprawling 147acres, picturesque, lush green campus, adjacent to Gangapur Dam near Nashik city.

It is the Fifth Open University in the country. The jurisdiction of this university covers the entire State of Maharashtra. The YCMOU has been recognized under section 12 (B) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

The YCMOU Act is: “An Act to establish and incorporate an Open University in the state of Maharashtra for the introduction and promotion of Open University and distance education systems in the educational pattern of the state of Maharashtra, as a measure in the decentralization and reorganization of university education in the state and to provide for the matters connected herewith or supplemental or incidental thereto”.(YCMOU Act, 1989)

The University offers higher education at affordable costs to large segments of the population by removing barriers of age, entry qualification, place, and pace of study and leveraging interaction by offering seamless teaching-learning experiences.

YCMOU is one of the Mega Open Universities in India which disseminates learning through continuing education and lifelong learning to the working population in Maharashtra including practicing farmers and farm women.

YCMOU is a self-financed University functioning under the Ministry of Higher & Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra, and is recognized under Section 12 (B) from the UGC, New Delhi. The Governor of Maharashtra is the Chancellor of the University.

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

The goal of the YCMOU is to become a ‘Mass Varsity’. The University strives to ‘Reach the Unreached’ segments of the society thereby providing need-based, academic programs of various levels ranging from certificate to Post-Graduate programs.

YCMOU is honored twice with an International Award of Institutional Excellence in Open and distance learning from COL, Canada, first time in 2002 & second time in 2019 for reaching out to unreached sections of the rural population.