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NPTEL, the joint initiative of IITs and IISc, and the Government of India offers free online courses. That is, the courses are free to undertake, but if you want a certificate, you have to undergo an exam. The courses on NPTEL are free for both students and working professionals and happen in two sessions.
Learners can take the optional proctored certification exam for a nominal fee of 1000 Rs. This way, they can earn a certificate at the end of the course from the IITs as well as NPTEL. Also, the successful completion of the exam does not guarantee a certificate. To get a certificate, you need to get 25% from the assignments and 75% of the certification exam score out of 100.
Final score = Average assignment score (>10/25) + Exam score (>30/75). If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will still not get the certificate even if the Final score > 40/100. This printable certificate will carry the stamp from both NPTEL and conducting institution.
Important dates for Jan-April 2021 semester
If you started a 4-week, 8-week or 12-week course whose exam date is Apr 24 or 25, 2021, the last date to apply for the exam is March 12. NPTEL has extended the timeline by four days, to accommodate learners in case of any problems. NPTEL is not accepting any late fee. Thus, the program has also made it clear that it will not extend the date to register for the exam and pay exam fees any further. “Requests for payment beyond this date will not be accommodated,” it states.
Fee structure
| Category | Fees |
| General | 1000 Rs |
| SC/ST or PwD (50% exam fee waiver) | 500 Rs |
| SC/ST and PwD (50% waiver for SC/ST and 50% of that for PwD) | 250 Rs |
About NPTEL
More than 1.2 crore learners have joined NPTEL courses to date. The course videos have received more than 1 Billion views so far. The initiative works closely with more than 4,000 colleges in engineering, arts, commerce, science and management disciplines across the country. Further, many students even take the certification exams as it helps them to improve their employability.