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ToggleChange IGNOU Honours Subject in Second Year?
Sometimes students apply to study for an honours degree only to find after they have started that another subject would have been a better fit with their interests or career plans. Important Question : Can you change IGNOU Honours Subject in 2nd Year

In most cases the answer is no. Honours subject An independent subject of a degree programme, e.g. BA Honours History, BA Honours Political Science or BA Honours English. Changing it usually means changing the whole program , not just one elective course .
According to the existing IGNOU rules, normally change of programme is not permitted. Older course-change rules also limit allowable changes to a short period after admission or receipt of the first set of study materials. Hence a second year request will not be entertained unless a specific programme level provision has been made by IGNOU.
Honours Subject Versus Elective Subject
Before applying for an IGNOU Honours Subject Change, understand the difference between the main discipline and an elective.
Your honours subject decides:
- The title and organisation of your degree programme
- The main courses you need to take
- Subject specific courses offered in the later semesters
- Total credits required for that subject
- Your name on an academic award
For example BA Honours History has a number of compulsory History core courses over six semesters. Discipline-specific electives are offered in later semesters. Switching an available elective is one thing . Switching the entire honours discipline from History to Political Science is another .
Change Honours Course on Re-Registration?
IGNOU Re-Registration Subject List Change is often misconstrued. Re-registration is the registration of a student already enrolled for the next semester or year, for courses allowed within the structure of the programme.
It normally does not allow a student to transfer from one honours programme to another.
During re-registration the portal could show the following:
- Courses needed for the next semester
- Electives allowed in your programme
- Skill improvement / Ability improvement courses
- Elective choices in discipline
- Project / practical courses (where applicable)
You can only select from the options available for your current programme. Opting for an elective related to your subject, however, will not alter the honours discipline listed on your programme record.
When to Change IGNOU Subject?
Limited IGNOU Subject Modification is provided when a student has selected the wrong elective or course while taking admission or registration.
As per Official IGNOU Norms, a student can apply for change of elective or course within 30 days of receipt of first set of course material on payment of applicable fee and with the permission of the concerned authority. These provisions are intended to allow for permitted course corrections, not unrestricted changes of honours programmes in the second year.
Student Registration Division Admissions, Re-registration, Credit transfer and Elective changes. Therefore any correction allowed must be verified directly with the Regional Centre or Student Registration Division .
Acceptance of Admission Confirm
Before you decide that the wrong honours subject has been allocated check your admission confirmation.
Check:
- Programme title and code
- Subject taken for Honours Entry session
- Courses selected
- Language of instruction
- Regional and Study Centre
Some students confuse a general BA programme with a subject-specific honours programme. Your actual registration will be found in the programme code in your admission record.
Retain Your Enrolment Number and IGNOU ID Card
Keep your admission confirmation, enrolment number and fee receipts safely. These details will be required for contacting Regional Centre for IGNOU 2nd Year Subject Change.
Download your ID card of IGNOU and verify the same whether the programme code is correct. If the university record is different from the programme you actually applied for, please report this immediately with supporting documents.
Study the Programme Guide Carefully
The programme guide will tell you whether a course is compulsory, elective or optional. It also displays credit structure semester wise.
Before you do a change request .
- Download your official program guide .
- Check the core courses of your honours subject.
- What electives are offered in the later semesters.
- See if the subject you want is only offered as electives.
- Check the maximum length of the programme.
- If the rule remains unclear contact the Regional Centre.
Do not solely depend on advice from another programme as IGNOU Programme Change Rules may vary depending on curriculum and admission cycle.
What If I Want An Additional Honours Subject?
If the change of the honours programme is not allowed, you may have to take fresh admission in the desired programme.
However, before you do that:
- Enquire of the Regional Centre as to any approved programme-change facility that may be applicable.
- Check the current credit transfer policy to verify that the credits earned will transfer.
- Compare restart time and cost. Verify the recognition and architecture of the new program.
- Don’t cancel your existing program until you have definitive guidance.
As per the revised credit transfer policy of IGNOU, eligible internal and external credit transfer is allowed, but transfer is subject to course equivalence and rules to be followed. It should not be assumed that all courses taken will automatically transfer onto a new honours programme.
Stick with Your Current Academic Requirements
In the meantime don’t ignore your current programme.
Study materials
Use official digital or printed study material for the courses for which you are registered. For student friendly explanations, you may also refer IGNOU Galaxy but you need to check programme rules from official IGNOU sources.
Do Assignments on Time
Create assignments for the courses listed in your registration record.
You can have an idea about the structure of answer you need to write by looking at IGNOU Solved Assignments. IGNOU Handwritten Assignments can guide you for the presentation of your answers but your final answers must be original and they must be sourced from your specific study material.
Understand the Important Deadlines
Careful about deadlines of re-registration, assignment, exam-form and course correction. Changing your subject will not entitle you to any extension of academic deadlines.
IGNOU Exam Form Fill up
Students have to fill up the exam form only for the eligible and correctly registered courses. Check all course code before making payment.
Requirement for Full Project or Synopsis
If your programme has project or synopsis then refer to the official project guide. You may take IGNOU Projects as a general guideline, but you need to follow the official rules for approval and submission.
Get a jumpstart on your exam prep
Keep studying until the change is officially approved . If you stop preparing on the basis of an informal promise you may miss some examinations and delay completing your programme.
Common Mistakes to Steer Clear Of
- An honours subject as normal elective
- Assuming programme can be converted by reregistration
- Requesting a change after having gone through several semesters.
- Selecting unrelated courses without referring to the programme guide
- Following unofficial advice on social media
- paying an agent for a guaranteed change in a programme
- Not paying attention to current homework and tests
- Fresh admission without checking the possibility of credit transfer
- Not documenting contact
Common Questions
1. Can I change my IGNOU second year honours subject?
Normally not. To change the honours subject is to change the programme.
2. Is it possible to transfer from BA Honours History to Political Science?
This is usually seen as a programme change, rather than an elective correction.
3. Can I change my honours subject on re-registration?
No. Generally, re-registration means you are continuing on the same programme but only courses that fit into the programme structure.
4. Can I change an elective subject?
Within the prescribed period and with approval a permitted elective correction may be possible.
5. Where do I send a subject change request?
Contact your Regional Centre or the Student Registration Division and follow the official procedure in place.
6. Do you charge a fee for changing an elective?
A fee for changing course may apply. Check the balance before you make the payment.
7. Can I be admitted again to another honours programme?
Yes, pending current admission eligibility and availability.
8. Do my credits transfer!
No. Credit transfer is subject to official policy, course equivalency and approval.
9. Should I stop studying during the pendency of my request?
No, you can continue your present courses till IGNOU informs about change in writing.
10. Will my regional centre be able to guarantee the change?
The Regional Centre can advise and process eligible requests, but approval is subject to university rules.
In Conclusion
Generally you can not change an IGNOU Honours Subject in Second Year as the honours discipline is the core of a separate degree programme. May permit selection of approved electives but does not normally convert an honours programme to another.
Refer to your admission record and programme guide and take written advice from your Regional Centre. In such cases, the practical alternative may be fresh admission with possible consideration for credit transfer, if programme conversion is not possible.