NPTEL-IIT Madras has begun enrolment for more than 400 online courses, which provide for 20 per cent credit transfer. The courses are completely free and open to everyone across the world. A nominal fee will be charged only for those interested in taking examinations for certification. The enrolment commenced on 20th May 2020 for the July-December 2020 semester. Students can register for these courses through onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in.

In addition, the institute has also launched a new initiative, in which eminent professors from various departments will deliver online lectures about Engineering streams. This will greatly benefit the Class XII students who clear the Public examinations this year and will be taking up counselling shortly.

These sessions will help them identify a discipline that is best aligned with their interests. This will also be available to everyone free of any charge. Students and working professionals take up NPTEL courses to supplement their university syllabus on the subject. In the context of COVID-19 pandemic and the nation-wise lockdown, learners can combine NPTEL courses with their mainstream syllabus and students can take the course examination for credits in their transcript.

Prof Andrew Thangaraj, Coordinator, NPTEL-IIT Madras, said, “NPTEL currently works with more than 3,800 colleges across the country. These colleges include Engineering, Arts, Commerce, Science and Management colleges. If Universities and Autonomous colleges want to take advantage of credit transfer, they must implement the credit transfer policy in their institutions. Some Universities and autonomous colleges have already started taking advantage of the credit transfer policy.”

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has requested all universities and colleges to allow up to 20 percent credit transfer in every semester through the Central Government’s SWAYAM initiative, of which NPTEL is a part. The 20 percent credit transfer is given as per the first amendment of 2016 UGC regulations on online education.

NPTEL is a joint initiative of IITs and IISc. NPTEL certification courses are offered through the MOOCs format. Learners must watch videos online, submit assignments on a weekly/monthly basis and register for a final exam which is proctored.