Astrology certificates in India: which exist, what they cost, and who asks for one
An astrology certificate shows you finished a syllabus. It does not show you can read for a stranger. Here are the certificates you can earn, from councils and universities, and what astrology apps actually check.
Updated
Free to apply in your browser. A person reads your application and decides within 2 days.
Short answer
An astrology certificate is not required by the app join pages we checked: Astrotalk asks for certifications only "if any" 6, and Astroyogi's terms say it does not verify experts' degrees or qualifications 7. Certificates you can earn include ICAS's Jyotish Praveena and Visharada, a year each 1. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University offers part-time Jyotish certificates and an advance diploma 3, and IGNOU an MA (Jyotish) by distance learning 4. Kismo asks for your practices and years of experience, not a certificate, and decides on one chat reading that a person reads in full.
Key facts
- Required by apps?
- Not on the join pages checked; Astrotalk lists certifications as "if any" 6
- Council certificate
- ICAS Jyotish Praveena, then Visharada: 1 year each, exams in June and December 1
- University certificate
- SLBSNSU Jyotish Praveshika: 6 months, part-time, taught in Hindi, 10+2 needed 3
- University degree
- IGNOU MA (Jyotish): 2 years by distance, Rs 12,600 at its 2021 launch 4
- Recognition of ICAS
- Not affiliated with any university or government body, ICAS says 1
- What Kismo checks
- One chat reading of about 10 minutes, read in full by a person
Do astrology apps require a certificate to join?
Astrology apps do not require a certificate on any of the public join pages we checked. They ask about your background, then test you in their own way.
| App | What its own pages say about qualifications |
|---|---|
| Astrotalk | The form asks how you learned, and lists certifications as "if any" 6 |
| Astroyogi | Invites "qualified" astrologers to apply 8, but its terms say it does not verify experts' skills, degrees or qualifications 7 |
| InstaAstro | Its terms say its review of credentials is limited to the information astrologers provide 5 |
| Anytime Astro | Welcomes both budding and well-experienced astrologers 9 |
So a certificate rarely opens a door by itself. Interviews, sample readings and client ratings decide who stays on an app.
Which astrology certificates and diplomas can you earn in India?
Astrology certificates in India come from three kinds of bodies: Sanskrit and open universities, councils of astrologers, and cultural institutes. The table lists programmes whose details their own pages, or a national newspaper for IGNOU, publish.
| Programme | Awarded by | Entry requirement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jyotish Praveshika (certificate) | SLBSNSU, New Delhi 3 | 10+2 3 | 6 months, part-time 3 |
| Jyotish Pragya (certificate) | SLBSNSU 3 | 10+2 and basic Jyotish 3 | 1 year 3 |
| Jyotish Bhushan (advance diploma) | SLBSNSU 3 | Jyotish Pragya, or a BA with Sanskrit 3 | 2 years 3 |
| Jyotish Praveena | ICAS chapters 1 | Age 18 and SSC; no prior astrology 1 | 1 year 1 |
| Jyotish Visharada | ICAS chapters 2 | Life membership, SSLC and Jyotisha Praveena 2 | 1 year, 6 papers 2 |
| Jyothisha Bharathi | Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru 10 | Class X 10 | 3 years: Pravesha, Prajna, Acharya 10 |
| MA (Jyotish) | IGNOU 4 | A bachelor's degree 4 | 2 years, distance 4 |
SLBSNSU teaches its part-time Jyotish courses in Hindi 3. ICAS runs its courses through local chapters, each with its own language and schedule 1.
Is an ICAS astrology certificate recognised by universities?
An ICAS certificate is not a university qualification: ICAS says it is an independent council, not affiliated with any university or government organisation 1. It describes its courses as professional development rather than an academic pursuit 1.
ICAS was set up in 1984 under the astrologer B.V. Raman, and every chapter follows one national syllabus 1. Its Visharada course runs over two semesters of three papers each 2.
If you want a qualification a university awards, look at SLBSNSU, a central university under the Ministry of Education 3, or IGNOU 4. If you want structured teaching from practising astrologers, a council course may suit you better.
How much does an astrology certificate course cost?
An astrology certificate course costs from a few thousand rupees a year at an institute to over Rs 12,000 for a full distance master's. Fees change, so confirm them with the institute before you enrol.
| Programme | Fee stated | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ICAS courses | Life membership Rs 1,000 in India, Rs 5,000 abroad, plus tuition 1 | Tuition is set by each chapter; exam fees are separate 1 |
| Jyothisha Bharathi, Bengaluru | Rs 7,000 Pravesha, Rs 8,000 Prajna, Rs 9,000 Acharya 10 | Fee is not refunded if you stop midway 10 |
| IGNOU MA (Jyotish) | Rs 12,600 in two instalments of Rs 6,300, plus Rs 200 to apply 4 | Figures reported at launch in June 2021 4 |
| SLBSNSU part-time courses | Not stated on the department page 3 | Ask the university's admission office |
Can you earn an astrology certificate online?
You can earn some astrology certificates online. ICAS says most of its chapters now teach online, and it offers online examinations as well as offline ones at a chapter 1.
- ICAS: new batches start in January and July, and exams are held in June and December 1.
- IGNOU: the MA (Jyotish) is a distance programme, and applications go through its Samarth admission portal 4.
- Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru: classes on Saturday from 6 to 8 pm and Sunday from 3 to 6 pm, taught in Kannada and English 10.
- Free online courses can teach the basics but rarely lead to a recognised award; see free astrology courses.
What does an astrology certificate prove, and what does it not?
An astrology certificate proves you completed a syllabus and passed its exams. It does not prove you can calm a worried stranger, answer the real question, and stay within ethical limits in ten minutes.
Apps rarely vouch for certificates either. Astroyogi tells its own users to verify experts' qualifications themselves 7, so on apps, ratings and reviews tend to carry more weight than paper.
- Before paying for a course, check who awards the certificate and whether it is a university.
- Read the full syllabus, and check that it covers the practice you will actually read.
- Ask who teaches, how many students sit in a batch, and whether you will read real charts in class.
- Keep your fee receipt, because some fees are not refunded if you leave.
Does Kismo ask for an astrology certificate?
No: Kismo's application asks for your practices, languages and years of experience, then judges you on one chat reading, not on a certificate.
| What is checked | How |
|---|---|
| Your background | Practices, languages and years of experience; someone new picks Just starting out |
| Your identity | A camera photo of your Aadhaar or PAN and a selfie holding the same card |
| Your reading | One chat with a client, about 10 minutes, in Hinglish or English, typed by you |
| The decision | A person reads the whole reading and emails a decision within 2 days |
Pasted answers are sent back, and there is one try. Practices, languages and years cannot be changed after you submit, and there is no training before approval, so a course is still worth finishing first.
What do astrologers ask about this?
Is an astrology certificate mandatory to work as an astrologer?
Not on the app join pages we checked. Astrotalk treats certifications as optional 6, Anytime Astro invites budding astrologers 9, and Kismo asks for your practices and years rather than a certificate.
Which astrology certificate is the most respected?
There is no official ranking. University awards such as SLBSNSU's Jyotish Bhushan or IGNOU's MA carry a university's name 3,4, while ICAS certificates come from a council of practising astrologers and are not affiliated with any university 1.
Can I do an astrology course after 10th?
Yes. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Jyothisha Bharathi in Bengaluru asks for Class X 10, and ICAS asks for the SSC examination and an age of 18 1. SLBSNSU's part-time certificates ask for 10+2 3.
How long does an astrology certificate take?
From six months to three years. SLBSNSU's Jyotish Praveshika takes six months 3, each ICAS level takes a year 1, and Jyothisha Bharathi in Bengaluru runs for three years over six semesters 10.
Will a certificate help me get approved on Kismo?
Not directly. Kismo decides on the chat reading you do in your application, which a person reads in full, and a certificate is not part of the form. What you learned on a good course will still show in that reading.
Read for clients on Kismo
Set your own per-minute rate for chat and calls, from Rs 20 to Rs 1,000. Apply in your browser with your Aadhaar or PAN and one reading.
Free to apply in your browser. A person reads your application and decides within 2 days.
Where should you go from here?
Where do these facts come from?
- ICAS: Frequently Asked Questions, Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. Accessed .
- Courses: Jyotisha Visharada, Indian Council of Astrological Sciences. Accessed .
- Department of Jyotisha, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University (Ministry of Education). Accessed .
- Now, study Astrology in IGNOU, check details, India TV News. Accessed .
- Terms and Conditions, InstaAstro. Accessed .
- Astrotalk Astrologer Registration: How To Register as an Astrologer on Astrotalk?, Astrotalk blog. Accessed .
- Astroyogi Terms and Conditions, Astroyogi. Accessed .
- Partner with us, Astroyogi. Accessed .
- For Astrologers: Anytime Astro (com.anytimeastro.experts), Google Play listing, Google Play. Accessed .
- Jyothishya Bharathi, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru. Accessed .