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Here’s a look at the top online courses offered by IITs in fields like data science, AI, Python, and more, available for free through NPTEL and SWAYAM with optional certification.
Top IITs, including IIT Madras, are offering online courses for free.
The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are not only prestigious for their on-campus programmes but also offer a range of high-quality online courses accessible to learners across the country. Through platforms like NPTEL and SWAYAM, these courses are taught by experienced IIT professors and cover some of the most in-demand fields, from data science to artificial intelligence. Most of these courses are free to learn, with an optional certification available for a nominal fee after a proctored exam. Here’s a look at the top five online courses offered directly by IITs that can enhance your skills and boost your career prospects.
1. Data Science for Engineers – IIT Madras
- Platform: NPTEL / SWAYAM
- Duration: 8 Weeks
- Level: Beginner
- Certification Fee: Rs 1,000 (optional, after exam)
What you’ll learn:
- Basics of data science and analytics
- Introduction to Python programming
- Probability and statistics for data science
- Data preprocessing and handling
- Machine learning fundamentals
- Case studies on real-world datasets
Why it’s valuable:
This course is an excellent starting point for engineers, science graduates, and working professionals looking to enter the fast-growing field of data science.
Career roles: Data Analyst, Junior Data Scientist, Business Intelligence roles.
2. Introduction to Machine Learning – IIT Kharagpur
- Platform: NPTEL / SWAYAM
- Duration: 12 Weeks
- Level: Intermediate
- Certification Fee: Rs 1,000 (optional, after exam)
What you’ll learn:
- Supervised learning (regression, classification)
- Unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction)
- Decision trees, Bayesian methods, SVM
- Introduction to neural networks
- Model evaluation techniques
Why it’s valuable:
This is one of the most comprehensive machine learning courses from IITs, designed for learners seeking both theoretical understanding and practical applications.
Career roles: ML Engineer, AI Research Assistant, Data Science Consultant.
3. Programming in Java – IIT Kharagpur
- Platform: NPTEL / SWAYAM
- Duration: 12 Weeks
- Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Certification Fee: Rs 1,000 (optional, after exam)
What you’ll learn:
- Java basics (syntax, loops, arrays)
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts
- Exception handling and file I/O
- GUI programming and app development
- Multi-threading and networking
Why it’s valuable:
This course builds a strong foundation in software development, ideal for those aiming for roles in backend systems, enterprise applications, or mobile development.
Career roles: Java Developer, Android Developer, Backend Engineer.
4. The Joy of Computing using Python – IIT Madras
- Platform: NPTEL / SWAYAM
- Duration: 12 Weeks
- Level: Beginner
- Certification Fee: Rs 1,000 (optional, after exam)
What you’ll learn:
- Fundamentals of Python programming
- Problem-solving using code
- Real-world applications like games, data visualisation, web scraping
- Simple algorithms and data structures
- Fun projects for hands-on learning
Why it’s valuable:
This course makes coding approachable and fun, especially for beginners with no prior programming experience. It’s popular among students from various disciplines.
Career roles: Python Developer, Automation Engineer, Entry-level Programmer.
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5. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Search Methods for Problem Solving – IIT Madras
- Platform: NPTEL / SWAYAM
- Duration: 12 Weeks
- Level: Intermediate
- Certification Fee: Rs 1,000 (optional, after exam)
What you’ll learn:
- History and overview of AI
- State-space search and heuristic search
- Game-playing algorithms (like Minimax)
- Constraint satisfaction problems
- Basic planning techniques
Why it’s valuable:
This course offers a solid conceptual foundation in artificial intelligence, particularly in problem-solving strategies used in research, robotics, and algorithm development.
Career roles: AI Researcher, Robotics Programmer, Game AI Developer.
How To Enrol?
- Visit NPTEL (nptel.ac.in) or SWAYAM (swayam.gov.in).
- Search for the course name.
- Check the latest batch start dates (generally in January and July).
- Enrol for free and opt for the certification exam if required.
