Top 9 Free Online Certificate Courses by Government of India: Benefits, Duration, Top Courses

The top 9 free online certificate courses by government of India include Blockchain development, HTML, Java, Financial Accounting and Analysis, etc. The courses are offered by various government bodies such as NIOS, NCERT, IGNOU, NSDC, etc. Pursuing these courses will help you boost up your skills and resume as well, and also guide you with a gloval network of peers and experts before entering your job organization.

The free online courses with certificates in india by government help you grab amazing opportunities to increase your calibre and get settled in high-paying jobs. The Government of India provides many opportunities for students and professionals to learn new skills and topics that can enhance your academic and career prospects. Check out the complete list of free online certificate courses by government of India given below. Since these are free online certificate courses, you need not worry of the fee structure.

Top 9 Government Free Online Courses With Certificates

Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) is part of the Digital India Strategy, an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development introduced in 2017 that offers free online certificate courses by government of India.

However, to receive a SWAYAM certificate, you must register and write the proctored exam. The exam registration is free and must be attended in person at designated centres. SWAYAM has 9-course coordinators that provide the courses.

Listed below are the institutions that produce and deliver the best government free online courses with certificates in India:

1. AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education)

• Duration: 2 weeks to 8 weeks.
• Website: free.aicte-india.org

The AICTE curates 96 courses as part of SWAYAM. All of the courses that AICTE offers through SWAYAM are self-paced. These free online government certification courses in India are provided by institutions such as IIT Bombay, ICMR, International Youth Foundation and the University of Hyderabad. 

AICTE offers courses curated by Indian and Foreign, Government and Private Bodies. Given below are some of the free online certificate courses by government of India:

2. NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling)

• Duration: 24 weeks
• Website: nois.ac.in/vocational courses

NIOS offers various free online certificate courses by government of India in various fields. The fields included are primary education, vocational skills, computer literacy etc. 

As a National Coordinator of the SWAYAM, NIOS offers 43 courses. All the courses are 24 weeks. The enrollment of the various courses starts on 1 April and 1 November. Interested students are advised to keep track of the enrollment schedule. You will be awarded a vocational course certificate for many of the courses.

The online free courses with certificates in India by the government are open to all. NIOS accredits the courses. Moreover, the courses earn college credits as well. 

3. IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University)

• Duration: 4, 8, 12, 15, 16 and 24 weeks
• Website: ignou.ac.in

Established by an Act of Parliament in 1985, IGNOU is one of the most important educational institutions in the country. The primary goal of IGNOU is to provide access to higher education to all segments of society.

The university offers high-quality, innovative and need-based free online certificate courses by government of India at different levels to all those who require them.

IGNOU offers 184 courses as part of SWAYAM. The courses are available in English and Hindi. The courses get credits for the students as well. Some IGNOU online free courses with certificates in India by the government are:

4. NITTTR (National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research)

• Duration: 4, 6 and 8 weeks
• Website: nitttr.ac.in

The NITTTR is an autonomous educational institution under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The institute focuses on enhancing the standard of the teaching-learning process in Technical Education.

NITTR offers several free online courses with certificates in india by government in Teacher Education as part of the SWAYAM scheme. There are a total of 19 courses available for interested participants to enrol. Many of the courses are AICTE-approved FDP courses.

5. NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training)

• Duration: 4 weeks to 24 weeks
• Website: ncert.nic.in

The NCERT is an autonomous institution set up by the government of India to be set up by the GOI to assist and advise the Central and State Governments on policies and programmes for qualitative improvement in school education.

As a National Coordinator under SWAYAM, NCERT offers 28 courses, primarily for school students. Most of the courses are 24 weeks long, starting in April and ending in October. Some of the free online certificate courses by government of India are listed below:

• Chemistry XI Part I
• Economics XII Part I
• Sociology XII Part I

6. CEC (Consortium for Educational Communication)

• Duration: 6, 8, 12, 15 and 16 weeks
• Website: cec.nic.in

CEC is one of the inter-university centres set up by the University Grants Commission. It has one of the country's largest repositories of digital educational content. It was established to address the needs of Higher Education through the medium of Television and the appropriate use of emerging Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Today, CEC's repository includes more than 40,000 video programs and 24,000 e-content modules. As a National Coordinator, CEC has developed around 322 Undergraduate MOOCs covering Arts, Literature, Language, Social Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences and Management and Professional courses.

The CEC curates 135 courses as part of the SWAYAM program. Some of these free online certificate courses by government of India are: 

• Access to Justice
• Differential Equations
• Education Technology
• International Business

7. NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning)

• Duration: 4, 8, 12 weeks based on the chosen course. 
• Website: nptel.ac.in8

It is a project under the collaboration of IITs and IISc created in 2003 and backed by the Indian Ministry of Education (MoE). The goal of NPTEL is to create web and video courses in all major engineering and physical sciences branches at the UG and PG levels and management courses at the PG level.

NPTEL offers 620 high-quality online courses as part of SWAYAM. Aspirants interested in Engineering topics and who would like to advance their careers in different fields can attend these free online certificate courses by government of India.

The courses need to be enrolled, so ensure that the enrollment periods are noted. The courses are 4, 8, or 12 weeks in duration. NPTEL offers more than 2400 courses for self-study of interested students. Many of the NPTEL video lectures are available on Youtube as well. 

8. IIM-B (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore)

• Duration: 6, 8, 12 weeks based on the course chosen.
• Website: swayam.gov.in/IIMB

IIM Bangalore is one of the premier management institutes in India. As the institute’s Digital Learning initiative, IIMBx creates online courses utilising the subject matter expertise of the IIMB Faculty. 

As part of SWAYAM, IIMB provides 24 courses. All the courses are on Management studies. These free online certificate courses by government of India are 6-8 weeks in duration. The course enrollment begins at different times of the year. A few of the courses on Business and Management are curated by faculty members from other institutes like QCI and ISS, Jaipur as well.

The courses offered are 6, 8 and 12 weeks in duration. Some of the courses offered by the IIMB as part of the SWAYAM scheme are:

• Predictive Analysis
• Financial Accounting and Analysis
• Operations management
• Consumer Buyer Behaviour
• Advanced Corporate Strategy

9. UGC (University Grants Commission)

• Duration: 1 year to 3 years
• Website: swayam.gov.in/ugc

A statutory body set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, the UGC is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education in India.

In its attempts to bridge the digital divide and enhance access to higher education in remote parts of the country, the UGC has set up a portal for the benefit of rural students. The courses are free of cost for everyone. The free online certificate courses by government of India include 23,000 postgraduate courses, 137 SWAYAM MOOC courses in emerging areas and 25 non-engineering SWAYAM courses.

Benefits of Indian Government Free Online Courses with Certificates

Government free online courses with certificates in India give students, professionals, and people an excellent opportunity to learn relevant skills and knowledge in their chosen field.  There are several benefits to taking free online government certification courses.

1. Flexibility: Free online government certification courses are very flexible and may be pursued at any time. This makes these courses accessible to many learners, including students and working professionals enabling easy fit of the course into hectic schedules.

2. Convenience: Students in India may find several free online government certification courses. The courses are also accessible from any place with internet access.

3. Quality Assurance: Free online government certification courses are generally offered by government institutes providing high-quality material.

4. Cost-Effective: Free online government certification courses are often offered for free or at a minimal fee. Low fee makes it an excellent option for people wishing to upskill or receive certifications on a budget.

5. Knowledge: Free online government certification courses provide students a broad understanding of the topic with a multitude of abilities. As a result, making it is ideal for those looking for a basic understanding of a topic or to complement their knowledge.

6. Variation: There are several free online government certification courses available in every profession, enabling one to explore many topics or specialize in  a particular area of expertise. it makes it easy to personalize one's learning experience to one's interests.

7. Job Possibilities: Earning free online government certification courses might increase one's earning potential. Numerous companies acknowledge and appreciate certificates from prestigious institutions.