SWAYAM is a Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) platform launched by the Indian government through the Ministry of Education (formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development). It offers free, high-quality online courses ranging from Class 9 to post-graduation, covering fields like engineering, humanities, management, and various skill-based programs.
Many courses let you transfer credits to formal degrees under UGC/AICTE rules, allowing up to 40% of a program in some cases.
It’s one of the largest MOOC platforms in the world, offering thousands of courses, with over 4 crore enrollments, and supported by institutions like NPTEL, NCERT, UGC, AICTE, IIMB, INIs (Institutes of National Importance), IGNOU, and more.
NPTEL has courses in 56 domains across 13 disciplines including Medicine
SWAYAM runs two main semesters each year, in January and July, while also offering many courses year-round or at a self-paced schedule.
Enrollment is free, and courses usually last 8–12 weeks, kicking off shortly after the semester starts. If you’re aiming for certification, keep in mind that proctored exams are optional and require separate registration and a fee later on.
List of some courses of general interest available in January 2026:
Introduction to Ancient Indian Technology by Prof. D.P. Mishra | IIT Kanpur | Duration : 12 weeks