QUICK ANSWERThe IGNOU MLIS Project is course MLIP-002 (printed as MLIP 2 in the Prospectus), titled Project Work/Dissertation. It is a compulsory 4-credit course with no assignment, and you need 50 per cent to pass. You send a synopsis with the Appendix II proforma, your guide’s consent letter and signed bio-data to the Programme Coordinator, MLIS. After approval, the report goes to SED, with the Rs 300 project fee paid on the exam form.
Facts most MLIP-002 pages miss
- The proforma has two separate verdicts. Its office box records “Synopsis Approved / Not Approved” and “Supervisor Approved / Not Approved”, signed by the Programme Coordinator (Handbook, Appendix II). A good synopsis can still come back because of the guide.
- Your guide’s bio-data must state the present pay-scale. That is how the Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 condition in the 2022 Programme Guide gets checked (Handbook, Appendix II; Programme Guide, Annexure III).
- A length is published, in the Handbook. About 80 to 120 double-spaced pages, not exceeding about 20,000 words excluding appendices, with 10 per cent variation either side (Handbook, section 4.2). The 2022 Programme Guide is silent on length.
- The two documents disagree on the viva. The Handbook says there will be no viva-voce for MLIP-002 (section 4.4). The SED online upload page for June 2026 says vivas are held under Regional Centre guidelines. Ask your Regional Centre for your cycle.
- No fee, no evaluation. A 4-credit project costs Rs 300, paid with the TEE form, and the SED upload page states that a report is not considered for evaluation if the fee was not paid (Prospectus July 2026, p. 27; SED June 2026 upload page).
हिंदी में सार: इग्नू MLIS प्रोजेक्ट का कोर्स कोड MLIP-002 है (प्रॉस्पेक्टस में MLIP 2), जो 4 क्रेडिट का अनिवार्य कोर्स है और इसमें पास होने के लिए 50 प्रतिशत अंक चाहिए। सिनॉप्सिस के साथ Appendix II प्रोफॉर्मा, गाइड का सहमति पत्र (Appendix III) और गाइड का हस्ताक्षरित बायोडाटा, जिसमें वर्तमान वेतनमान लिखा हो, प्रोग्राम कोऑर्डिनेटर, MLIS, स्कूल ऑफ सोशल साइंसेज, इग्नू, मैदान गढ़ी, नई दिल्ली को भेजें; हार्ड कॉपी या सॉफ्ट कॉपी में से केवल एक तरीका चुनें। गाइड के पास लाइब्रेरी एवं सूचना विज्ञान में Ph.D. या मास्टर डिग्री के साथ अनुभव होना चाहिए, और दोनों स्थितियों में असिस्टेंट प्रोफेसर स्केल या 7वें वेतन आयोग का पे लेवल 10। स्वीकृति के बाद रिपोर्ट SED को जमा होती है, और 4 क्रेडिट प्रोजेक्ट की मूल्यांकन फीस 300 रुपये परीक्षा फॉर्म के साथ देनी होती है।
What MLIP-002 is, and why your Prospectus prints MLIP 2 instead
MLIP-002 is the Project Work/Dissertation course of IGNOU’s Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), offered by the Faculty of Library and Information Science in the School of Social Sciences. The July 2022 Programme Guide calls it a full course of 4 credits whose purpose is to let you develop skills in the areas you studied in the other MLIS courses. Four official documents print the same course in four ways.
| Official document | Code as printed | Title used there |
|---|---|---|
| MLIS Programme Guide, July 2022 | MLIP-002 | Project Work/Dissertation |
| MLIP-002 Project/Dissertation Work Handbook, 2007-08 | MLIP-002 | Project/Dissertation (100 marks) |
| Common Prospectus July 2026, section 3.23 | MLIP 2 | Project |
| IGNOU MLIS programme page (read October 2026) | MLIP-002 | Project, 4 credits |
MLIP 2, MLIP-2, MLIP002 and MLIP-002 are one course. Use the form shown on your own registration record on the proforma and the report cover. On “MLIP full form”: none of these documents prints an expansion of the letters MLIP. Read the code as the course number of the MLIS project, and do not copy an expansion from an unofficial site into your synopsis.
IGNOU MLIS Project Documents: Two Official Sources, Fifteen Years Apart
The IGNOU MLIS project is governed by two official documents. The MLIS Programme Guide of July 2022 is the newer one; its Annexure III covers MLIP-002 in two pages and then tells students to read the Project Work/Dissertation Guide properly before starting. That guide is the MLIP-002 Project/Dissertation Work Handbook dated 2007-08, still hosted on eGyanKosh, and it is the only document that carries the proforma, consent letter and certificate of originality. Keep the official documents and the study reference files apart: only the first group tells you what IGNOU requires.
OFFICIAL documents (what IGNOU requires)
OFF 1MLIS Programme Guide
Faculty of Library and Information Science, SOSS. July 2022. Annexure III: guide eligibility, synopsis route, 13-part report order, 50 per cent pass.
OFF 2MLIP-002 Project/Dissertation Work Handbook
Faculty of Library and Information Science, SOSS. 2007-08. Appendix II proforma, Appendix III consent letter, Appendix IV certificate of originality, length, 33 illustrative areas.
OFF 3Common Prospectus, July 2026
IGNOU. Page 27: project evaluation fee. Pages 75 to 76: MLIS course list with MLIP 2.
OFF 4SED notices: fee and online upload
Registrar (SED). Fee notice for the December 2026 TEE dated 18 September 2026; upload instructions published for each cycle (June 2026 page read).
STUDY REFERENCE files (not for submission)
REF 1Sample synopsis, MLIP-002
ignouproject.com, October 2026. A weeding and stock-verification study of college libraries, built on the Handbook’s synopsis contents, with [brackets] for your own facts. Watermarked.
REF 2Report format template, MLIP-002
ignouproject.com, October 2026. Bound-report order, the 13 parts, single-PDF first page, cover specimen, empty table shells. Contains no data.
These two files show the shape of the work. IGNOU expects your own synopsis, your own data and a certificate of originality signed by you and your guide.
What changed between 2007-08 and 2022, and what still applies
| Rule | Handbook 2007-08 | Programme Guide July 2022 | What to follow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guide qualification | Ph.D. in LIS; or master’s in LIS with two years in a library or information centre in a lecturers’ grade; or B.E./B.Tech. (CS)/MCA with two years in a reputed library | Ph.D. in LIS, or master’s in LIS with library work or LIS teaching; both in Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 (7th CPC) | 2022 routes only. The B.E./MCA route is no longer printed |
| Course count | Six core courses and two electives, with the project counted separately | Eight core courses (including Project Work/Dissertation and Internship) and two electives | 2022 structure; the project is a core course |
| Students per guide | Maximum 5 | Not stated | Treat 5 as the cap; the proforma asks the current number |
| Proposal package | Proforma (Appendix II), one synopsis copy, signed bio-data, consent letter (Appendix III) | Synopsis with signed bio-data | Send the full Handbook set |
| Where the synopsis goes | Programme Coordinator (MLIS), Faculty of LIS, SOSS, Academic Complex, Block F | Programme Coordinator, MLIS, by post, or a soft copy by e-mail; one route only | 2022 route rule |
| Report order | 12 parts | 13 parts, adding Review of Literature | 2022 order |
| Length | About 80 to 120 pages, about 20,000 words at most, 10 per cent variation | Not stated | Handbook figure, agreed with your guide |
| Viva | “No viva-voce” | Not stated | Ask your Regional Centre; SED’s upload page refers to RC guidelines |
| Proforma inside the report | “Copy of” the approved proforma (4.2, 4.3); “in original” (6.0) | Not stated | Bind the original: SED’s June 2026 upload page also asks for it “in original” |
| Fee | Additional amount for resubmission | Not stated (Prospectus July 2026: Rs 300 for up to 4 credits) | Rs 300 with the TEE form |
The video below is from BK Sahni’s YouTube channel. Where any video and the official documents differ, the documents decide.
Where MLIP-002 sits inside the 40-credit MLIS structure
MLIS is a ten-course, 40-credit master’s degree: eight core courses and two electives chosen from six, each of 4 credits. The Programme Guide names Project Work/Dissertation as the seventh core course and Internship (MLII-105) as the eighth. So MLIP-002 is not an add-on; it carries the same weight as Information Processing and Retrieval.
| Element | Official value | Where it is printed |
|---|---|---|
| Courses | 10: eight core, two electives out of six | Programme Guide, Components of the MLIS Programme |
| Credits | 40, with 4 credits for every course | Programme Guide; Prospectus section 3.23 |
| One credit | 30 hours of study | Programme Guide, Study and Teaching Methodology |
| Study time implied by MLIP-002 | 4 credits at 30 hours, so 120 hours | Derived from the credit definition; not printed as a project rule |
| Duration | Minimum 12 months, maximum 24 months | IGNOU MLIS programme page; Programme Guide (two years from registration) |
| Programme fee | Rs 12,000 for the full programme, exam fees extra | Programme page; Prospectus July 2026 master table |
| Admission cycles | January and July | Prospectus July 2026 master table |
A gap inside the 2022 Guide. Its Components table lists MLI-101, MLI-102, MLII-101 to MLII-105 and the six electives, but has no row for MLIP-002, even though the prose names Project Work/Dissertation as a core course and Annexure III is devoted to it. The Prospectus and the programme page both list MLIP-002. The project is compulsory either way. For the full syllabus of the other courses, read the Programme Guide linked above.
Which library science course code is actually yours
Four codes from the same faculty get mixed up, and two of them are project courses with different rules. Find the row that matches your registration before you read further.
| If you are registered in | Your code | What it is | Where to read next |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLIS | MLIP-002 | Project Work/Dissertation, 4 credits, 50 per cent to pass | This page |
| MLIS, second practical core course | MLII-105 | Internship, under a separate standard operating procedure | MLIS internship report guide for MLII-105 |
| PGDLAN | MLIP-008 | Project of the PG Diploma in Library Automation and Networking, 4 credits | PGDLAN project guide for MLIP 008 |
| MLIS, if chosen as an elective | MLIE-102 | Research Methodology, a taught elective, not a project | Section on topics below |
An undated IGNOU Regional Centre Chandigarh table records the PGDLAN project at 80 maximum marks with a 40 per cent pass, a report submitted at the learner’s Regional or Tele-learning Centre and a viva in January, against 50 per cent and a report to headquarters for MLIP-002. Treat that table as an older example; PGDLAN students should follow their own current guidelines.
Who your guide can be, in IGNOU’s exact terms
You choose your own MLIS project guide. Annexure III of the 2022 Programme Guide says a student may choose her or his guide, and that the proposal must carry the guide’s bio-data, signed by the guide. It then sets a pay-scale condition on both qualification routes, and that condition is the part most pages leave out.
| Route | Qualification (Programme Guide, July 2022) | Condition attached |
|---|---|---|
| a | Ph.D. in Library and Information Science | Working in Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 as per the 7th CPC |
| b | Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, with work in a library or information centre, or teaching LIS | In Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 as per the 7th CPC |
| Superseded | Not printed in the 2022 Guide |
The rejection that is easiest to avoid. Route b is often summarised online as “an MLIS plus some experience”. The 2022 Guide attaches the Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 condition to route b as well. A qualified, willing librarian outside that scale does not meet the printed criterion, and the proforma’s “Supervisor Approved / Not Approved” box is where that shows. If your guide is in a higher scale, the Guide does not say whether that counts: ask the Programme Coordinator before the bio-data is signed.
Guide bio-data checklist
- Full name, designation and institution, with official address
- Qualification route: Ph.D. in LIS, or master’s in LIS with library work or LIS teaching
- Present pay-scale or Pay Level, written in words (the Handbook’s proforma asks for it)
- Years of relevant experience
- Number of MLIP-002 students currently under this guide (the Handbook caps it at 5)
- Whether the guide is an academic counsellor of the IGNOU MLIS programme, and if so, the Study Centre name and code (being a counsellor is asked, not required)
- Signature and date of the guide, in original
The Handbook adds that the Faculty of Library and Information Science approves external guides before the study is undertaken. Appendix V of the Handbook is the guide’s own remuneration bill, filed by the guide; it is not part of your synopsis package.
Your Two Electives Decide Your IGNOU MLIS Project Topic
The Programme Guide sets one rule for the topic: you work in an area related to any area of your own courses of study. Those are the eight core courses plus the two electives you picked at registration, so your topic space is partly a list you have already chosen. The Handbook then names seven types of project work and asks for topics preferably from emerging areas of library and information science. Start the project work once your synopsis is approved; the Guide says the work may be carried out on receipt of approval.
The methodology gap built into MLIS. MLIE-102 Research Methodology is an elective, while the project is compulsory. You can reach a survey-based dissertation without having studied questionnaires, sampling or statistical techniques, because you chose two other electives. If you plan a users’ survey and have not studied MLIE-102, read its Block 2 to Block 4 units on eGyanKosh before drafting the methodology.
| Handbook project type (section 2.2) | Core course that anchors it | Elective that strengthens it | What the synopsis must show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design and development of an information system, user interface or service (action research) | MLII-104 ICT Applications (library automation, digitisation); MLII-102 (content development, HTML and XML) | MLIE-104 Technical Writing | User requirement, design specification, tools, platforms or languages to be used, test plan, evaluation criteria |
| Inter-institutional study | MLI-102 Management of Library and Information Centres; MLII-101 | MLIE-103 or MLIE-106, by library type | List of institutions and its size, one common tool for all, comparison plan |
| Comprehensive case study of one library, network or system | MLI-102; MLII-101 | The elective matching that library type | Why this library, records to be read, interview and observation plan |
| Users’ survey or field study | MLII-101 Information Sources, Systems and Services | MLIE-102 Research Methodology | Population size, sampling technique, questionnaire, pre-test, analysis |
| Survey of literature, bibliographic or bibliometric study | MLII-102 Information Processing and Retrieval | MLIE-105 Informetrics and Scientometrics | Source database, period, counting unit, laws or indicators used |
| Users’ sensitisation | MLII-101; MLI-102 Block 5 (marketing of information products) | MLIE-103 or MLIE-106 | Target group, programme design, before-and-after measure |
| Information literacy | MLII-101; MLII-104 (Internet resources, search engines) | MLIE-102; MLIE-103 | Literacy model chosen, assessment tool, group studied |
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PLANNING-AIDMLIP-002 Topic Anchor Finder
Pick your two MLIS electives, a Handbook project type and a setting. The finder shows which of your registered courses the topic rests on, what the synopsis must contain for that type, and a title pattern to adapt. IGNOU does not prescribe this method; it is a planning aid.
Used only to fill the title pattern on this screen. Nothing is stored or sent.
How it decides. Each Handbook project type is linked to the core MLIS courses whose syllabus units cover it, taken from the curriculum in the July 2022 Programme Guide (for example, bibliometric work to MLII-102 and the laws taught in MLIE-105). Your electives are added when they match the type or the setting: MLIE-103 for college and university libraries, MLIE-106 for public libraries. It warns when a type leans on an elective you did not choose, such as a survey without MLIE-102 or a bibliometric study without MLIE-105. The method list repeats what the Handbook asks a synopsis to state, including the size of the population for any study on a population. It does not judge whether a topic will be approved.
Topic directions drawn from the Handbook’s own list
Appendix I of the Handbook gives 33 illustrative areas. The ones below still read as current, mapped to the course that would anchor each. The Handbook adds that a topic may relate to a core course or an elective course of MLIS. Turn any of them into your own title by adding a place, a group and a period.
| Area (Handbook Appendix I) | Anchor course | How to narrow it |
|---|---|---|
| Problems and constraints in starting library automation | MLII-104 | One district’s college libraries, one software, one period |
| Library resource sharing; library consortia | MLII-103 Block 4; MLIE-103 Block 4 | Use of one consortium by libraries of one type |
| Information seeking behaviour of different types of users | MLII-101 | One user group in one institution |
| Metadata practices in digital repositories | MLII-102 Block 2 | Repositories of one state or one subject |
| Bibliometric, scientometric or webometric studies | MLIE-105 | One journal or subject over a fixed span of years |
| Preservation and conservation of library materials (case study) | MLIE-101 | One library’s manuscript or rare-book collection |
| Usage of online journals against printed journals | MLII-104; MLIE-103 | Faculty or research scholars of one university |
| Quality management of libraries and information centres | MLI-102 Block 1 (Total Quality Management) | One library, one service |
| Impact of ICT on library and information services | MLII-103; MLII-104 | One service, before and after a named change |
| Self-archiving of research publications | MLII-102; MLII-104 | Faculty of one institution |
The synopsis: what IGNOU asks for, and the one-route rule
The MLIP-002 synopsis is prepared with your guide and must state the objectives, methodology and other details of the study. The Handbook lists what it should cover: the background and rationale, objectives, methodology, sampling, the instruments to be used, the expected outcome, limitations and future directions. If the study is conducted on a population, the size of that population must be mentioned. Its Points to Remember (section 6.0) add that the methodology should detail the nature of data, data sources, collection methods, tools and techniques of analysis, and sampling, and that a design or development project should name the tools, platforms or languages to be used. The proposal is typed in double space on A4 paper, and the Handbook warns that proposals incomplete in any respect are rejected straight away.
What the Handbook says MLIP-002 is for. Section 2.1 lists six specific objectives: identify and formulate a research problem; write a good research proposal; identify and use an appropriate research methodology; carry out the investigation systematically; collect and analyse data; and apply suitable tools, techniques, methods and statistics to library and information science. A synopsis that shows each of these, in that order, is a synopsis that reads as the Handbook intends. The Handbook does not publish a marking scheme, so treat this as the course’s stated purpose, not as a marks breakdown.
- Choose a topic related to your own MLIS courses, in consultation with your guide.
- Write the synopsis on A4 paper in double space, covering every item listed above.
- Fill the Proforma for Approval of Project Proposal (Handbook Appendix II); you and your guide each sign and date it.
- Get the guide’s Consent Letter (Appendix III), signed and dated.
- Attach the guide’s bio-data, signed by the guide and stating the present pay-scale.
- Send the package to the Programme Coordinator, MLIS, Faculty of Library and Information Science, School of Social Sciences, IGNOU, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110068. The July 2022 Guide also allows a soft copy by e-mail to ignnoulis@gmail.com (as printed there; confirm it is current).
- Send one route only. The Guide advises either the hard copy or the soft copy, not both. For a hard copy, the Handbook’s Points to Remember ask you to send only one copy of the proposal and to write “MLIP-002” prominently on the envelope.
- Keep your own copy and proof of dispatch, and wait for the written communication of approval before starting the report.
The duplication trap. Posting a hard copy and then e-mailing the same synopsis “to be safe” puts two proposals under one enrolment number in the queue. The Guide asks for one route. Choose one and follow up on that route only.
If the synopsis is not approved. The Handbook says the comments for reformulating the project are communicated to you. Send the revised synopsis with a fresh Appendix II proforma and a copy of the earlier proforma that carries the Programme Coordinator’s comments.
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OFFICIAL-RULEMLIP-002 Proposal Package Checker
Built only from the MLIS Programme Guide (July 2022, Annexure III) and the MLIP-002 Handbook (2007-08, sections 3.1 to 3.3, 6.0 and Appendix II). Tick what your envelope or e-mail holds and answer the guide questions. The checker lists what is missing and the line it comes from. It cannot tell you whether IGNOU will approve the synopsis.
The proforma asks this number. Leave blank if you do not know it yet.
How it decides. Each document box maps to a line in the Handbook: the proforma, synopsis copy, signed bio-data and consent letter to section 3.3, signatures and pay-scale to Appendix II, the synopsis items and the population-size rule to sections 3.1 and 3.3, and the data-source, analysis and design-tools items to the Points to Remember in section 6.0. The guide questions follow the two qualification routes and the Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 condition in Annexure III of the 2022 Programme Guide, and the five-student cap in section 3.2 of the Handbook. The route question follows the Guide’s advice to send either the hard copy or the soft copy. A higher pay scale is flagged as a question for the Programme Coordinator, because the Guide does not address it.
Before Your MLIP-002 Envelope Leaves for Maidan Garhi
The MLIP-002 Handbook is blunt: proposals incomplete in any respect are rejected straight away, and a revised attempt needs a fresh proforma plus the commented old one. A missing signature or form is enough to stop an otherwise sound proposal. If you have written your own synopsis or report, our team checks it line by line against the MLIS documents and returns it with corrections for you to make.
What we check in your synopsis
- Every Appendix II box filled, signed and dated by you and your guide
- Consent letter present; bio-data signed and stating pay-scale
- Guide route a or b and the Pay Level 10 condition
- Background, objectives, methodology, sampling, instruments, expected outcome, limitations, future directions
- Population size stated for any survey or field study
- Neutral objectives that do not assume a finding
What we check in your report
- The 13-part order of the 2022 Programme Guide, including Preface and Index
- Approved proforma, approved synopsis and certificate of originality bound in
- Title identical to the approved title
- Findings tied to each objective, from your own data
- Single-PDF first page with the particulars SED asks for
- Bibliography in one consistent style
Synopsis check Rs 1,000. Report check Rs 2,000.
See how the synopsis and report correction works
You remain the author of your synopsis and report and are responsible for your data, certificates and submission. Approval is decided by IGNOU’s Programme Coordinator and evaluators, not by us.
Appendix II, Box by Box: The MLIP-002 Proforma
The Proforma for Approval of Project Proposal (MLIP-002) is Appendix II of the Handbook. When it comes back marked approved, that signed proforma is your approval record: it is bound into the report in original and uploaded with it. Download the blank form from the Handbook on eGyanKosh and fill it in this order.
| # | Box on the proforma | Who fills it | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enrolment Number | You | Exactly as on your ID card |
| 2 | Name and Address of the Student | You | An address where post reaches you |
| 3 | Programme Code: MLIS | Printed | Do not change |
| 4 | Course Code: MLIP-002 | Printed | Do not write MLIP-008 |
| 5 | Title of the Project/Dissertation Work (enclose the proposal/synopsis) | You | Same words as the synopsis title; this becomes the approved title |
| 6 | Name and Address of the Supervisor | You, with the guide | Official address, matching the bio-data |
| 7 | Is the Supervisor an Academic Counsellor of MLIS of IGNOU? Yes/No | Guide | “No” is allowed; the question is asked, not required |
| 8 | If yes, name and code of the Study Centre | Guide | Leave blank if box 7 is No |
| 9 | No. of students currently working under the Supervisor for MLIP-002 | Guide | Five is the Handbook’s maximum |
| 10 | Academic Qualifications of the Supervisor | Guide | Must show route a or b of the 2022 Guide |
| 11 | Number of Years of Relevant Experience | Guide | Library, information centre or LIS teaching |
| 12 | Enclose the bio-data of the supervisor mentioning the present pay-scale | Guide | Pay-scale written in; this is where Pay Level 10 is checked |
| 13 | Signature of the Student, with date | You | Original signature, dated |
| 14 | Signature of Supervisor, with date | Guide | Original signature, dated |
| 15 | For Office Use Only: Comments, if any | Programme Coordinator | Read these first if the synopsis returns |
| 16 | Synopsis: Approved / Not Approved | Programme Coordinator | Decision on the proposal |
| 17 | Supervisor: Approved / Not Approved | Programme Coordinator | A separate decision on your guide |
| 18 | Signature of Programme Coordinator and Date | Programme Coordinator | Your approval record |
| Note 1 | Enclose a copy of this form, with comments, with a revised proposal and with the final report | You | Keep the returned form safe |
| Note 2 | For a revised proposal, enclose a copy of this form with the fresh proforma | You | Two forms travel with a resubmission |
The two other forms you sign
| Form | When it is used | Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Consent Letter of Supervisor/Guide (Appendix III) | With the synopsis | Title of the project, your name and enrolment number, statement that the work will be carried out under the guide’s guidance, guide’s signature, name and date |
| Certificate of Originality (Appendix IV) | Bound into the report | Title of the report, your name and enrolment number, and a statement that the work is genuine and has not been submitted to any university or institute; your signature, name, enrolment number, place and date; the guide’s signature, name, designation, institution and date |
Who decides what: the three offices an MLIS project passes through
An MLIS student deals with three IGNOU offices for one 4-credit course, and each accepts only its own paperwork. Sending the right document to the wrong office loses time quietly: nothing is rejected, it simply does not arrive where it is looked for.
Routing for MLIP-002, from the MLIS Programme Guide (Examination and Evaluation; Annexure III), the Handbook (Appendix II) and the SED upload page for June 2026.
Two more desks matter at the end. The project fee is paid through your IGNOU Samarth login along with the exam form, and questions about a viva go to your Regional Centre, which the SED upload page names for viva arrangements. The Programme Guide names the report desk as the Registrar (SED); older documents, including the Handbook and the Regional Centre Chandigarh table, call it SR&E or SR&ED. The address, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi 110068, is the same.
The MLIS project dates that are published, and the ones that are not
No current document prints an MLIP-002 synopsis deadline. The July 2022 Programme Guide gives no dates at all. The dates that circulate come from two older sources, and those two disagree with each other, so treat them as history and plan around the current SED notices instead.
| Source | Synopsis | Approval | Report | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handbook 2007-08, section 4.7 (for session 2007-08) | 30 November, for July-session students finishing next June | Before 31 January | Before 31 May (June TEE) or 30 November (December TEE) | Historical |
| Handbook 2007-08, section 4.3 | Not given | Not given | April slot (June TEE) or October slot (December TEE) | Conflicts with section 4.7 of the same Handbook |
| IGNOU RC Chandigarh table, undated | 30 November | Before 31 January | Before 30 April or 31 October | Older example |
What applies now (checked 5 October 2026)
- Fee for December 2026 TEE: SED’s notice of 18 September 2026 opened online payment of Project, Internship and Practical course fees through the Samarth portal, with a last date of 30 November 2026. MLIP-002, at 4 credits, carries Rs 300.
- Report upload: SED opens an online upload page for each cycle. The June 2026 page closed on 15 June 2026. The December 2026 page had not appeared on 5 October 2026. For the December 2025 cycle, SED announced report submission on 25 October 2025, so watch the IGNOU announcements from late October.
- Programme limit: MLIS runs for a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 24 months, so plan the synopsis early enough to leave approval time and writing time inside your registration.
For the upload screens, binding and envelope steps, use the MLIS report submission and upload steps. For the December 2026 deadline as it is announced, follow the December 2026 project submission date tracker. To read the status after submission, see how to check IGNOU project status.
The 13-part report order IGNOU prints, including the two parts almost nobody includes
Annexure III of the 2022 Programme Guide sets the form of the MLIS project report first: typed in double space, on A4 paper, bound, with a certificate from the guide that the work was carried out under her or his supervision. It then gives the order of parts, which the Guide says the report should generally follow.
| # | Part (2022 order) | Handbook 2007-08 equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certificate | Certificate | From the guide |
| 2 | Acknowledgements | Acknowledgements | |
| 3 | Table of Contents | Table of Contents | Page numbers must match |
| 4 | Preface | Preface | Often left out |
| 5 | Introduction | Introduction | |
| 6 | Review of Literature | Not a separate part | Added in 2022 |
| 7 | Objectives | Objectives of the Study | Now placed after the review |
| 8 | Methodology | Methodology | |
| 9 | Findings | Analysis and Findings | From your own data |
| 10 | Conclusion | Conclusion | |
| 11 | Bibliography | References and Bibliography | Handbook 4.1.1 shows a style |
| 12 | Index | Index | Often left out |
| 13 | Appendices | Appendices, if any | Questionnaires and tools |
The two parts students leave out
Preface (part 4) and Index (part 12) are in both official orders and are the two most often missing, because generic dissertation templates do not carry them. A Preface explains why you undertook the study and how the report is arranged; it is not a second Introduction.
Why the position of Objectives matters
The 2022 order puts Objectives after the Review of Literature, so the objectives grow out of the gap the review identifies. A report that states its objectives before reviewing anything reads as though the answer was fixed first.
Length, bound-in originals and the single PDF
- Length: the Handbook gives about 80 to 120 double-spaced pages, not exceeding about 20,000 words excluding appendices and exhibits, with 10 per cent variation either side. The 2022 Guide does not repeat it, so agree the length with your guide.
- Bound in, in original: the approved proforma, the approved synopsis and the Certificate of Originality (Handbook, section 6.0). The SED upload page for June 2026 also lists the guide’s bio-data and asks for the fee receipt.
- Online upload: one PDF per course, pages clear and in sequence, with the title, your name, programme code, enrolment number, Regional Centre code, course code, mobile and e-mail on the first page (SED June 2026 page).
- Language: the Handbook asks for English. If you want to write in Hindi, ask the Programme Coordinator first.
- Hard copy, when one is called for: the Handbook asks for insured registered post, insured speed post or delivery by hand, with “PROJECT REPORT – MLIS” written prominently on the top of the envelope.
- Keep a copy: the Handbook says the report is not returned.
The reference style the Handbook prints
Section 4.1.1 of the Handbook asks for all references in one alphabetical list under References and Bibliography, and shows a pattern for each type of source. The 2022 Programme Guide names no style, so this is the only style an official MLIS document prints.
| Source type | Pattern shown in the Handbook |
|---|---|
| Book | Surname, Initials (Year). Title. Edition. Place: Publisher. |
| Edited book | Surname, Initials and Surname, Initials (eds.) (Year). Title. Place: Publisher. |
| Journal article | Surname, Initials (Year) Article title. Journal, Volume(Issue), pages. |
| Chapter in a book | Surname, Initials (Year). Chapter title. In: Editor et al. (Eds.) Book title. Place: Publisher. |
| Internet resource | Surname, First name (Year). Title. <URL> (accessed on date). |
| Conference paper | Surname, First name (Year). Title. Presented in Conference name, dates. Place: Organiser. |
| IGNOU course material | Surname, Initials (Year). Unit title. In: Course code, Block, Unit course materials. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Open University. |
| Thesis | Surname, First name (Year). Title. PhD Dissertation. Place: University. |
The MLIP-002 report format template (PDF) lays this out page by page, with empty table shells.
How MLIP-002 is marked, and why 50 per cent is not the same as your degree’s 40 per cent
MLIS examination has two parts, continuous evaluation (30 per cent) and the term-end examination (70 per cent). MLIP-002 sits outside both: the Programme Guide says there is no assignment for MLIP-002 and no continuous evaluation for project work. The project is assessed on the report.
| Component | MLIP-002 | Other MLIS courses |
|---|---|---|
| Tutor marked assignment | None | One per course, to the Study Centre |
| Continuous evaluation | None | 30 per cent |
| Term-end examination | Not applicable; the report is assessed | 70 per cent |
| Minimum to pass | 50 per cent | 40 per cent, and 40 per cent in practicals |
| Marks (Handbook) | 100 | As per course |
The degree needs at least 40 per cent in continuous evaluation and in the term-end examination, and divisions are awarded on the aggregate of theory, practicals and the project: 60 per cent and above for First, 50 for Second, 40 for Third. MLIP-002 alone needs 50 per cent, ten points above the degree’s own floor, and its marks count in the aggregate that sets your division.
Whether there is a viva for MLIP-002
The Handbook says the report is evaluated by the Faculty or an external expert and that there will be no viva-voce. The 2022 Programme Guide says nothing either way. SED’s online upload page for June 2026, written for all programmes, says vivas are conducted under certain guidelines by the faculties under the Regional Centre and asks students to contact their Regional Centre. Ask your Regional Centre whether a viva is being held for MLIP-002 in your cycle, and be ready to explain your method and findings if it is.
If the report does not pass
The Handbook allows you to resubmit within the programme’s time frame after incorporating the suggestions made on the earlier report, on payment of an additional amount; past that time frame, within the next two years, again with payment. It also states that no candidate is exempted from the project. Confirm the current amount with SED before resubmitting.
Planning your MLIP-002 topic or stuck on the proforma? Message us with your electives and the type of study you have in mind.
Questions MLIS students ask about MLIP-002
What is MLIP 2 project in IGNOU?
MLIP 2 is the Prospectus spelling of MLIP-002, the Project Work/Dissertation course of the IGNOU MLIS programme. It is a compulsory 4-credit course that needs 50 per cent to pass and has no assignment.
What is the full form of MLIP?
No IGNOU document read for this page expands the letters MLIP. The code identifies the MLIS project course, in the same way MLII-105 identifies the internship. Write the code, not an expansion, on your forms.
Who can be my IGNOU MLIS project guide?
Under the July 2022 Programme Guide, a person with a Ph.D. in Library and Information Science, or a master’s in LIS with library work or LIS teaching, working in Assistant Professor Scale or Pay Level 10 as per the 7th CPC. The guide signs the bio-data, which should state the present pay-scale, and the Handbook caps a guide at five MLIP-002 students.
Where can I get the MLIS project guide PDF?
The MLIS Programme Guide (July 2022) is on ignou.ac.in, and the MLIP-002 Project/Dissertation Work Handbook (2007-08) is on eGyanKosh. Both are linked in the documents section of this page. The Handbook carries the proforma, consent letter and certificate of originality.
What documents go with the MLIS synopsis?
The Handbook lists the Proforma for Approval (Appendix II), one copy of the synopsis, the guide’s signed bio-data and the guide’s Consent Letter (Appendix III). It warns that proposals incomplete in any respect are rejected straight away.
Can I send the MLIS synopsis by e-mail?
Yes. The July 2022 Programme Guide allows a soft copy by e-mail to the address it prints, or a hard copy to the Programme Coordinator, MLIS. It asks you to send one or the other, not both.
How many pages should the MLIS project report be?
The MLIP-002 Handbook gives about 80 to 120 double-spaced typed pages, not exceeding about 20,000 words excluding appendices, with 10 per cent variation either side. The 2022 Programme Guide does not state a length, so agree it with your guide.
Is there a viva for MLIP-002?
The Handbook says there is no viva-voce for MLIP-002. SED’s current upload instructions say vivas follow Regional Centre guidelines. Ask your Regional Centre for your cycle.
What is the fee for the MLIS project?
Rs 300, the project evaluation fee for projects of up to 4 credits, paid with the term-end examination form (Common Prospectus July 2026, p. 27). For the December 2026 TEE, SED set 30 November 2026 as the last date.
Which reference style should the MLIS project report follow?
The MLIP-002 Handbook (section 4.1.1) shows one style: an alphabetical list with author, year in brackets, title, then place and publisher for books, or journal, volume, issue and pages for articles. The 2022 Programme Guide names no style, so follow the Handbook pattern unless your guide asks otherwise.
What should be written on the MLIS synopsis and report envelopes?
The Handbook asks for “MLIP-002” written prominently on the synopsis envelope addressed to the Programme Coordinator (MLIS), and “PROJECT REPORT – MLIS” on the report envelope when a hard copy is sent. Online uploads follow SED’s instructions for the cycle instead.
Is MLII-105 the same as the MLIS project?
No. MLII-105 is the MLIS Internship, a separate 4-credit core course run under its own standard operating procedure. You complete both MLIP-002 and MLII-105.
What is the difference between MLIP-002 and MLIP-008?
MLIP-002 is the MLIS project; MLIP-008 is the project of the PG Diploma in Library Automation and Networking. Both carry 4 credits under the same faculty, but they belong to different programmes with different pass marks and arrangements.
Sources Read for This Page
- Programme Guide for MLIS, Faculty of Library and Information Science, SOSS, IGNOU, July 2022: programme components, credits, examination and evaluation, Annexure III. Read in full, October 2026.
- Project/Dissertation Work Handbook (MLIP-002), Faculty of Library and Information Science, SOSS, IGNOU, 2007-08: sections 1 to 6 and Appendices I to V. Read in full from the eGyanKosh PDF, October 2026.
- IGNOU Common Prospectus, July 2026: p. 27 (project evaluation fee), section 3.23 (MLIS), section 8.10 (PGDLAN).
- IGNOU MLIS programme page: duration, fee, course list. Read October 2026.
- IGNOU announcements: SED notification on Project/Internship/Practical course fee for the December 2026 TEE, 18 September 2026.
- SED guidelines for online submission of project reports, June 2026 TEE.
- Projects and Practicals table, IGNOU Regional Centre Chandigarh, undated: rows for MLIS MLIP-002 and PGDLAN MLIP-008.
Related on this site: all IGNOU programme project guides, IGNOU project guidelines across programmes and project course codes and credits.
ignouproject.com is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for Indira Gandhi National Open University. Rules, fees and dates change; confirm current instructions with the Programme Coordinator, MLIS, your Regional Centre or SED.
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