NPTEL survey on future funding sparks worry over free courses

A survey circulated by the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) has stirred unease among its learners after it raised the prospect of charging for course material that is currently free to access.

NPTEL, a body under the Ministry of Education, later said the exercise was intended only "to collect feedback from learners" and that it did not signal any imminent stoppage of funding from the Ministry.

The clarification followed questions from recipients of the survey email, who asked whether the Union government was winding down funding in the coming year and whether NPTEL was moving towards a self-sustaining model — one that could mean higher certification exam fees and payment for content now available at no cost.

What the email said

The email, titled 'NPTEL at a Crossroads: What should happen next?', told learners that the agency is presently funded by the Ministry of Education for creating and offering courses through the SWAYAM portal. That support, it said, covers free course enrolment and subsidised examination fees.

It further stated that if government funding were withdrawn and no alternative sources secured, NPTEL might have to shift to a self-sustaining model from 2027.

The linked survey presented two choices: continue offering courses by levying a nominal additional fee on learners if funding ends, or stop offering courses altogether. It also hinted at a "possibility" that students could be charged for free e-learning material in future under a self-sustaining model.

Reach and current fees

NPTEL is a consortium of seven Indian Institutes of Technology — Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati and Roorkee — along with the Indian Institute of Science. It offers more than 70,000 hours of online lecture videos and close to 600 courses each semester across 22 disciplines, from engineering to the humanities, through the SWAYAM platform, with certification and credit transfer reaching lakhs of students annually.

While its course material is free, the platform charges ₹1,000 per course for a physically proctored certification examination. NPTEL said up to 15.25 lakh candidates registered for the physical exams in the July 2026 semester.

Funding picture

For financial year 2026-27, the Ministry of Education allocated ₹650 crore for accelerated funding of an open digital academic ecosystem integrating the SWAYAM portal, NPTEL, e-PG Pathshala, the Academic Bank of Credits, APAAR and DigiLocker under the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology. No separate breakup for NPTEL's share has been provided.

On social media, users questioned the motive behind the survey and voiced concern about the impact any shift would have on rural and low-income students.