Government Free Online Courses With Certificates
Online education is here to stay. Both freshers and working professionals in India are finding it helpful to grow in their careers. You may be aware of the many global MOOC platforms such as Coursera and edX, and how they help you with getting jobs and upskill. But, you will also find a variety of new and free online courses with certificates in India by the government and government-supported platforms like AICTE, NPTEL, Skill India, and SWAYAM. These offer a range of career-advancing courses and certificates, all free.
Since 2020, the top 100 educational institutions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) have started offering full-fledged online degree courses. Most are continuing. Also, these government certifications (for degrees and online programs) are offered at a much lower cost than face-to-face programs and aim to improve the country's gross enrolm
Online education is here to stay. Both freshers and working professionals in India are finding it helpful to grow in their careers. You may be aware of the many global MOOC platforms such as Coursera and edX, and how they help you with getting jobs and upskill. But, you will also find a variety of new and free online courses with certificates in India by the government and government-supported platforms like AICTE, NPTEL, Skill India, and SWAYAM. These offer a range of career-advancing courses and certificates, all free.
Since 2020, the top 100 educational institutions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) have started offering full-fledged online degree courses. Most are continuing. Also, these government certifications (for degrees and online programs) are offered at a much lower cost than face-to-face programs and aim to improve the country's gross enrolment ratio (GER).
The free online courses with certificates in India by government have appealed to professionals who do not wish to leave their jobs to pursue higher education.
Moving on, towards the post-lockdown phase, the UGC chief promotes online education in India. There will now be more opportunities to learn and professionally develop, leveraging the digital space and get UGC-approved certificates through online learning. But UGC has also sent some precautions while considering Open and Distance Learning (ODL) or Online Learning Mode, especially, if you are deciding online degrees.
So, develop the relevant skillset with free government certification courses and enhance your resume quickly.
- Benefits of Online Government Courses and Certifications
- How to Enrol in Government Courses Online
- Top Free Online Courses With Certificates in India by Government
- 3.1 National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL)
- 3.2 SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds)
- 3.3 National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT)
- 3.4 All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
- 3.5 Skill India Digital Hub
- Choosing Your Ideal Government Certificate Course
Benefits of Online Government Courses and Certifications
The professional job market has become specific now, and companies are more interested in specific skills than vanilla degrees. These online government certificate courses are designed to make the course takers job ready.
Some benefits why you should consider taking up government free online courses with certificates include –
- Get verified certificates holding the same value as on-campus certificates for different professional levels
- Learn top and trending skills like data science, machine learning, AI, digital marketing, cloud computing, programming, etc.
- Take up cost-effective or free courses from government-run institutions and universities
- Learn from the skilled and knowledgeable faculties of the universities
- Study at your own pace without compromising on your work hours
- Enjoy interactive learning environment and excellent networking opportunities
How to Enrol in Government Courses Online
Most short-term government courses from NPTEL or SWAYAM have minimum to no eligibility requirements to enrol.
You can follow these steps to enrol for Government courses.
- Either register or log in at Shiksha Online.
- Choose the government online course and click on the ‘Go To Free Course’ or ‘Enquire Now’ button. The first option will take you to the page of the main provider. From there you can start learning right away.
- Alternatively, you can sign up on the individual government platform offering the course you are looking for. And start learning!
Top Free Online Courses With Certificates in India by Government
Let’s have a look at the best providers of the free online courses with free certificates in India by government. Some of this list will also cover the top online free courses with certificates in India by government, where you have to only pay for the certificate.
National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL)
NPTEL, headquartered in IIT Madras (Chennai), was formed in 2003 by seven Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. In 2014, it started offering online courses with certificates from IITs and IISc. It is a project of MHRD (now the Ministry of Education).
Key Features of NPTEL
- Any student who is not a part of IIT can earn an IIT certificate upon completion.
- All courses are free to enrol.
- Online students get three hours of video content every week. Along with it, students are provided with an assignment, based on which they are scored.
- Online students get an immersive learning experience through laboratory workshops.
- The government certification is provided once students pass the in-person proctored certification examination, priced nominally.
- Course toppers get to intern with course instructors.
Universities Offering Government Course Certificates on NPTEL
Here are the top technology and engineering institutes offering free government courses.
Government Course Certificates Online on NPTEL Category-Wise
All NPTEL courses across all categories are AICTE-approved Faculty Development Programmes. Whether you are in engineering, management, or data science fields, improve your career prospects with NPTEL’s online free courses with certificates in India by government.
Engineering
Courses offered for engineering students on NPTEL come from IITs across India. These are short courses that help in specific areas of Chemical, Civil, and Electrical Engineering.
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIT Guwahati |
|
| IIT Roorkee |
|
Management
For freshers and professionals looking to gain some quick and valuable training on essential management topics, NPTEL is the way to go.
Learn about the important concepts this domain requires for professionals on our page on what management is.
| IIT Roorkee |
|
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIM Bangalore |
If you are not able to find specific management-related topics to learn here, you may want to head over to our updated list of management courses.
Technology
IT and Software play a massive role in empowering businesses to streamline operations and reach a global audience. It also provides learners with access to vast educational resources, enhancing learning experiences, and fostering innovation.
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIT Kharagpur |
Besides these amazing tech courses offered by government of India, there are more options for specialising across domains of technology. For that, you should explore our list of IT and Software courses.
Data Science
The job market today demands data scientists. And what better than faculty and SMEs from the IITs, training you on the core skills!
| IIT Madras |
|
| IIT Madras |
|
| IIT Kharagpur |
|
| IIT Hyderabad |
If you want to delve further into learning about this domain for your career, the best way to upskill would be taking data science courses!
SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds)
SWAYAM was launched in 2017 under the Digital India initiative by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Key Features of SWAYAM
- All its short term courses by government of India are free to enrol.
- Each course has video lectures.
- The reading material is free to download.
- Online students can participate in tests and quizzes.
- Students are provided with an online discussion forum to clarify doubts amongst their peers.
- The free online government courses on the SWAYAM platform are catered towards undergraduates and postgraduates.
- To get a government certification from this platform, the student has to appear for the paid certification exam in person. These are free Indian government courses to audit, though.
Government Certificate Course Coordinators on SWAYAM
On the SWAYAM platform, you will find nine nationally recognised course coordinators offering technical and non-technical online courses.
AICTE – This platform offers self-paced and week-based technical courses. On Swayam, the government courses on AICTE are offered by top Indian universities, including IIT Bombay, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Shiv Nadar University.
These universities also provide the following courses under the AICTE stamp.
| University |
Course |
Price |
| IIT Bombay |
Free |
|
| Shiv Nadar University |
INR 1,20,000 |
|
| ICMR |
ICMR NvCCP Prescribing Skills course -Cycle 3, for the Indian Medical Graduates |
Free |
Under AICTE, the online government certifications are available at school/vocational, under-graduate, and postgraduate levels. AICTE also provides engineering and other professional courses.
NPTEL – This joint-IIT-IISc-venture offers many engineering level courses along with other categories including management, data science and technology. On the Swayam platform, you will find courses offered by other reputed universities such as IISER Pune.
| University |
Course |
Price |
| IISER Pune |
Free to enrol at NPTEL |
|
| IIT Kanpur |
Free to enrol at NPTEL |
UGC – Short for University Grants Commission, this statutory Organization of the Government of India offers non-technical education. University Grants Commission has already taken a step forward and has been identifying and approving universities from across the country to offer high quality online government certifications.
Universities like Aligarh Muslim University, Amity University, Bharathidasan University, Bharati Vidyapeeth, IGNOU, and Mizoram University, among others, offer many online courses with certificates in India by government.
Also, find out about the 100+ UGC Approved Online Degree Courses from Top Universities.
These universities listed under UGC also provide many certified programmes - from diplomas to undergraduate/postgraduate programmes, entirely online. Have a look.
| University |
Course/Programme |
Price |
| Amity University (Online) |
INR 50,000 |
|
| Bharathidasan University |
INR 76000 (for Indian Students) |
|
| Mizoram University |
INR 33,000 |
|
| IGNOU |
Free |
CEC – Consortium for Educational Communication is the inter-university centre set up by UGC. On Swayam, CEC offers undergraduate online courses offered by top universities such as the University of Mumbai.
| University |
Course/Programme |
Price |
| University of Mumbai |
Free to enrol |
NCERT – Swayam also offers online secondary school education with NCERT, which is the organisation that offers courses for school students in India.
NIOS – The National Institute of Open Schooling is another coordinator on SWAYAM offering school-level education. There are also online government courses for teachers that are offered by NIOS.
IGNOU – For undergraduate studies online, SWAYAM has partnered with Indira Gandhi National Open University.
IIMB – SWAYAM has also partnered with the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore for online management studies from reputed faculty members.
NITTTR – The National Institute of Technical Teacher’s Training and Research on the SWAYAM platform offers a range of courses for academic educators. NITTTR Swayam collaboration has been catering to building teacher skills with the best government training courses in the Southern region of India.
Top Government Course Certificates on SWAYAM Category-Wise
Management
Management courses on SWAYAM offer a broader understanding of the specific topic you choose. The courses’ syllabi cover a range of topics that are well-structured.
Technology and Engineering
Some of the technology courses from SWAYAM are suitable for PhD students as well as for under- and post-graduates.
| Hydrogen Energy: Production, Storage, Transportation and Safety |
Finance
Finance courses on SWAYAM are mostly for those with intermediate level of knowledge.
Additionally, you can extend your focus on deeper learning on important financial topics with top finance courses and certifications.
National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT)
Based out of Haridwar, NIELIT institute offers short term online courses. It is India’s premier Institution for examination and certification in the field of Information, Electronics and Communications Technology (IECT).
Key Features of NIELIT
- The courses are designed to offer advanced training in the fields of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, MATLAB, and big data, among others.
- Online students get to participate in the online quiz at the end of their programmes.
- Study material is provided in the form of e-presentations and links.
- Courses are available in different levels including O/A/B level, BCC/CCC, e-Gov, ESDM, CHM ‘O’ level, etc.
- The government certificate CCC courses offered by NIELIT are available in 23 regional languages, apart from English and Hindi.
- The courses offered are self-paced.
- Students can ask doubts with mentors online.
Government Certificate Courses Offered by NIELIT Category-Wise
Engineering: PG Diploma in VLSI & Embedded Hardware Design
Internet of Things (IoT)
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
Formed as an Apex Advisory Body in 1945, AICTE started partnering with major platforms during the lockdown and created the Enhancement in Learning with Improvement In Skills (ELIS) portal. With this initiative, freshers and working professionals could opt for technical training in various fields and enrol in courses for free until 15th May, 2020. However, one can still find a large number of free government certification courses with AICTE.
Key Features of AICTE
- Students can learn from top quality e-course providers from India and abroad.
- Most of the central government free courses are for beginners who are planning to enter the job market with relevant technical skills.
Top Platforms on AICTE Offering Free Courses with Government Certification
- CodeRed from EC Council – It offers further education for cyber professionals.
- Microsoft Learn – This platform offers a range of certifications across different Microsoft technologies through hands-on learning.
- Great Learning – It offers a range of trending certificate courses on data science, cloud computing, and cybersecurity among others.
Free Online Government Certifications with AICTE in Technology Education
- A Practical Introduction to Cloud Computing
- Python For Absolute Beginners
- Website Hosting for Beginners Panel with SiteGround Account
- Cybersecurity for Businesses – The Fundamental Edition
Skill India Digital Hub
Skill India Digital Hub is one of the best all-round government online course providers in the country that offer job-ready certificates. Established in 2015 by the Central Government, you can expect free online courses on AI, vocational disciplines, digital marketing, entrepreneurship development, and many more skills here. Definitely check out the free offerings under the PMKVY (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana) Scheme of 2025 on Skill India. There are several short term courses recently added.
Key Features of Skill India
- Find placement opportunities within the portal after completeing its online course.
- The government online certificates from Skill India are recognised nationwide.
Free Online Government Certifications from Skill India Digital Hub
Choosing Your Ideal Government Certificate Course
The government’s approach to online education had earlier been cautious; but now, since the interest of students seems to be more towards blended learning, government certifications seem to be a futuristic approach. GOI is eyeing an upsurge in the number of students pursuing higher education on online platforms and has set the target to jump up from the current 25% to 50% by 2035.
We have highlighted the top online courses with certificates in India by the government for students and professionals. Based on your current skills and needs, pick any free online courses with certificates in India by government from above or explore more on our platform.
Besides these govt. courses mentioned above, you can also explore career-impacting trainings with free online courses with certificates.
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