NPTEL survey proposing ‘charge’ for access to free learning modules creates discontent

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NPTEL is a consortium of seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) — Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati and Roorkee — along with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).  Credit: X/@nptel_official

After a survey instituted by the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), a Ministry of Education body, for a potential “charge” to be levied for its e-learning material that is currently running free, the agency clarified that the purpose of the exercise was “to collect feedback from learners”. NPTEL also said that it did not indicate “any imminent stoppage of funding” from the Ministry to the organisation.

NPTEL stated this after learners who had received the survey email raised questions on whether the Union government was halting funding in the coming year and if NPTEL was moving towards a self-sustaining model with a potential of hike in fees for conducting its certification exams as well as charging for accessing its free content.

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

In an email titled ‘NPTEL at a Crossroads: What should happen next?’, sent to its learners, the agency stated that NPTEL is currently funded by the Ministry of Education for the creation and offering of courses through SWAYAM portal. “This funding supports free course enrolment and subsidised examination fees,” NPTEL stated in the email.

“If the government funding is withdrawn and NPTEL is unable to secure funding through other sources, NPTEL may need to transition to a self-sustaining model from 2027,” the email further states.

In the survey, which was linked to the email and accessed by The Hindu, NPTEL has posed two options to its users. Firstly, it has stated that if the government funding is withdrawn, then NPTEL should continue to offer courses by charging nominal additional fee to the learners. Secondly, it has proposed that NPTEL should stop offering courses altogether.

Social media users questioned the NPTEL’s motive behind instituting the survey, voicing worries about the impact on rural and low-income students.

While the e-learning material in any course conducted by NPTEL is free, it currently charges ₹1,000 per course for a student to conduct a physical proctored certification exam. Up to 15.25 lakh candidates registered in July 2026 semester for appearing in the physical exams, NPTEL has stated. In the survey, NPTEL has hinted that there is a “possibility” that students could be charged for the free e-learning material in future if NPTEL moves towards a self-sustaining model.

NPTEL later clarified that the survey was conducted just for feedback, with no immediate changes to its funding structure.

In financial year 2026-27, the Ministry of Education allocated ₹650 crore for accelerated funding of an open digital academic ecosystem to integrate SWAYAM portal, NPTEL, e-PG Pathshala, Academic Bank of Credits, APAAR and DigiLocker through the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT). The Ministry has not provided a separate breakup for funds allocated specifically to NPTEL.

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