IGNOU Regional Centre Chennai, one of the largest Regional Centres in the country was established in the year 1988 for serving the educational needs of the people in the State of Tamil Nadu, Union Territory of Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Subsequently, two new Regional Centres, one at Port Blair and another at Madurai have been carved out of Regional Centre Chennai and the Chennai Regional Centre at present caters to the needs of the learners in the following 19 districts of Tamil Nadu : 1.Chennai, 2.Kancheepuram, 3. Vilupuram, 4.Salem, 5.Vellore, 6.Krishnagiri, 7.Dharmapuri, 8.Cuddalore, 9.Nagapattinam, 10.Perambalur, 11.Namakkal, 12.Thiruvallur, 13.Thiruvannamalai, 14. Chengalpet, 15. Ranipet, 16. Kallakurichi, 17. Mayiladuthurai, 18. Tirupattur and 19. Union Territory of Pondicherry including Karaikal.

The Chennai Regional Centre started with around 5 Learner Support Centres (LSCs) and at present there are more than 100 LSCs supporting around 20,000 students admitted every year . The cumulative enrolment of the Region at present is 1.5 lakh.

The office of IGNOU Regional Centre, Chennai is housed at Periyar Thidal, 84/1, EVK Sampath Salai, Vepery, Chennai 600 007.