Swayam Courses: Details, Eligibility, Fees, And Career

In 2017, the Government of India launched Swayam (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds). Swayam is an indigenously developed platform that hosts courses that are taught from Class 9 to post-graduation. This portal has been created by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) with the help of Microsoft.

Mobile devices, the Internet, and the extensive use of multimedia have all changed the paradigms in almost all fields and the field of education has been no different. The year of the pandemic has shown us, more than ever, the power of online education. It offers flexibility, reach, and a multitude of options. Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs have been game-changers in the area of affordable e-learning.

They have brought the school/ university to the home of the learner and given them opportunities to learn alongside school/ college and even work. They have the potential of empowering the disadvantaged with the concept of affordable distance learning.

Learners in remote areas can access top-quality education through the device in their palms. MOOC has also helped people re-enter the workspace after a break, improve their career prospects, make career switches, etc. In fact, an HBR article, 2015 talks at length about the advantages and impact of MOOCs.

With MOOC, you have the advantage of being able to choose any course you wish to do – it could be to plump up your resume, to upgrade your skills, to acquire a new skill, or even just simply because you have a passion for that field. Online education is a great option for people who don’t have access to in-person classes. They can enroll in courses offered by top institutes from their homes.

So, while we have heard of MOOC portals like Coursera and edX, what are the India-based MOOC platforms? Is there a portal in India that can give learners access to say courses offered by the IITs and IIMs? Yes! This article will give you all the information you need about India’s indigenous MOOC platform – Swayam; right from how to register in Swayam courses to how to use Swayam to enhance your career growth.

Table of Contents

What is the Swayam Portal?

What are the Benefits of Swayam Online Courses?

What is the Eligibility to register in Swayam Courses?

How to Register in Swayam Courses?

What are the Courses available on Swayam?

What can I expect after I Register in Swayam Online Courses?

What is the Fee to Register in Swayam Courses?

Will I get a Certificate after completion of a Swayam Course?

How will it help my career to register in Swayam?

Learn about extensive keyword research with the Best Content Writing Course

What is the Swayam Portal?

With the Government of India’s “Digital India” initiative, there has been a huge push to digitize key services and operations. Education as a field has huge avenues to implement and benefit from digitization. Hence, educational institutes have also been pushing the agenda of e-learning and meeting the goal of digitizing education.

The aim is to ensure that students in all parts of the country have access to the best quality of higher education at affordable costs.

In addition, the Ministry of Human Resource Development had also launched Swayam Prabha which is a cluster of 32 DTH (Direct-to-Home) TV channels. These channels broadcast education-related content to learners 24×7. Every day they offer 6 hours of pre-recorded content on four different subjects. These channels are available for free through different providers.

Acquire the core concepts of Web Analytics with the Top Digital Marketing Course

What are the benefits of Swayam Online Courses?

The Swayam portal offers courses taught right from Class 9 to the post-graduate level. These courses can be accessed at any time and from any place.

The courses cover a wide range of subjects like Humanities, Sciences, Commerce, Engineering, Law, Management, etc. The courses have been created by nine National Coordinators appointed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development viz UGC, NPTEL, CEC, IGNOU, NCERT, NIOS, IIMB, NITTTR & AICTE.

More than 1000 specially selected teachers and instructors from across the country have participated in the creation of these courses. So, once a learner completes the first step of how to register in Swayam courses, they get access to courses delivered by experienced faculty from top schools and institutes from across India.

One of the biggest advantages offered by Swayam is that, for certain courses, a learner can earn credits for completing the course on the platform and these credits can even be transferred to the academic record of the learner.

The cost is one of the best benefits of Swayam. There is no charge for registering and doing a course. Swayam provides learners a forum to connect with learners from across the country so there is scope for tremendous cross-learning and collaboration.

The portal is a dynamic space where courses and study material can be added regularly. Swayam can host 80000 hours of instruction.

You may be interested to find out about the Top Digital Marketing Courses in the Philippines

What is the Eligibility to register in Swayam Online Courses?

Anyone can register as a learner on the Swayam portal. There are no eligibility criteria for registration. Anyone with a device and an internet connection can follow the process of how to register for Swayam courses and start doing courses online.

How to Register in Swayam Courses?

In order to register in Swayam, one needs to create an account on the portal – https://swayam.gov.in. You can sign up using your Google or Facebook or Microsoft account or using your email id. As seen below, the process of how to register in Swayam courses is simple – you need to fill in your username, email id, and password. You will be sent a verification code on your email id and once you enter that and your email id has been verified, your account gets created.

After getting through the first step of how to register in Swayam courses, the next step is to identify and join a course. For this purpose, you can first search – this can be based on category (for example, Biology or Sanskrit or Management) or keywords, or the name of the institute or university.

You can then go to the individual course detail page for more information. The course detail page lists all the particulars about the course – syllabus, course layout, duration, completion criteria, reference books, instructor profile, etc. It also indicates the start date of the course in case of scheduled courses.

The page also gives information on mandatory reading that may be needed as per pre-course requirements. For certain courses, for example, programming courses, the page may also contain instructions on how to install and use certain software needed for the course.

Once you have identified the course you want to do, you can click on Join after which you will be prompted for more information as shown below. Fill the form and save the account info and you will be registered for the course.

You would want to know about the top 10 Digital Marketing Courses in Agra

What are the Courses available on Swayam?

Now that you have gone through the process of how to register for Swayam courses, the next step is to look for courses relevant to your requirement. The Swayam portal offers over 2150 courses delivered by around 1300 instructors from 135 Indian universities. That is quite extensive! This cover material is taught from Class 9 to the post-graduate level.

A wide variety of subjects are taught through Swayam online courses. In 2019, the portal was revamped to include all the courses offered by NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning). NPTEL is an initiative by 7 Indian Institutes of Technology (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, and Roorkee) and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for creating e-learning content in Engineering and Science.

On Swayam, courses are available in the following areas:

Engineering

As mentioned above, now Swayam NPTEL offers all the courses that come under NPTEL. You can choose courses from streams across Aerospace, Computer Science, Biotechnology, Environment, Metallurgy, etc. And these courses are created and delivered by top institutes like the IITs, University of Punjab, Anna University, etc.

Science 

The courses cover a wide range from Sciences for high school to more specialized fields like Biochemistry, Renewable energy engineering, Genetics, etc. You can get certified in these courses through Swayam from prestigious institutes like the University of Delhi, the IITs, and the University of Hyderabad.

Business 

There is ample choice here from Introduction to GST to the ever-popular Digital Marketing to Advanced Corporate Strategy. These have been delivered by faculty from the IIMs, University of Mysore, Sri Ram College of Commerce, etc. There is also a very interesting course called Entrepreneurship Essentials offered by IIT Kharagpur.

Social Sciences

If you are interested in this field, you have a choice of over 70 courses on Swayam, ranging from Patent Law and Cultural Studies to Feminism and Environmental Sustainability. You will get to learn from the best at Jawaharlal Nehru University, IIM-Bangalore, NCERT, etc.

Humanities 

Head to this category if you wish to do a course on Languages, Literature, Writing, etc. Swayam offers courses in German, French, Sanskrit, Gujarati amongst other languages.

Computer Science 

Swayam has a robust set of over 50 courses in this area. Some of these courses like Machine Learning, Introduction to the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence are great for upgrading knowledge and skills.

Mathematics

Swayam boasts of courses on Operation Research, Calculus, Applied Linear Algebra, and other topics in Mathematics. It offers courses in pure Maths as well as applied streams like Statistics. You will also find comprehensive courses covering secondary-level Maths from NCERT.

Art & Design

There is much on offer here by Swayam for those inclined towards making a career in the creative sphere. You have a wide spectrum to choose from with courses like Introduction to Film Studies, Innovation by Design, Apparel Designing, and even one on Modern European Drama.

Programming 

Programming skills and knowledge of Computer Science are required across fields now. You cannot escape it, whether you are using applications to enhance your work or if you are developing your own app. Swayam has got this covered with its courses on Cloud Computing to Programming in C++ to Python Programming.

Health & Medicine 

This category has very useful courses which can give you a kick-starter in making a career or starting a business. These include courses on Diet and Nutrition, Hospital Management, Beauty Therapy, and a refresher course in Pharmacy too.

Data Science 

The great news is that Swayam hosts quite a few courses in this hugely popular and relevant field. You can take your pick from Data Mining, Data Analysis, Predictive Analytics, etc. Data Science is used in many fields now and there is a huge demand for people trained in this field.

Education & Teaching 

These courses are apt for teachers and instructors who want to add to their knowledge and application of new pedagogy and methodologies. Innovative courses like Instructional Design, Design and Facilitation of e-Learning Courses, and School Administration & Organisation are offered under this category.

Personal Development 

With soft skills being the buzzword for employability now, the courses offered in this segment are relevant across age groups and fields. Courses like Effective Business Communication, Emotional Intelligence, and Enhancing Soft Skills & Personality can hugely contribute to personal and professional growth.

The course options are easily accessible and have been organized for easy discoverability and access. You can search using the course name or category or keywords or the institute name – this last option helps you identify the courses offered by your college. You can also do a search based on the courses with the best reviews and ratings.

A list of courses shows up and you can go to individual course detail pages to read about each course in more detail. They have listed down key aspects of the course – start and end date, duration, syllabus, plan, eligibility if any, completion criteria, and also a detailed profile of the instructor. This helps you make an informed decision about the course you want to opt for.

There are options for choosing a self-paced course or a scheduled one. In the case of a self-paced course, there is flexibility with regard to joining and completion. You cannot choose a scheduled course once it has started.

For these courses, student enrolment commences 60 days before the scheduled start date of the course. If you have missed the date for enrolment into a scheduled course, fret not. These are often repeated. So you can keep an eye out for a repeat on Swayam and enroll for it in the next round.

You can search for courses without going through the process of how to register in Swayam courses but once you identify the course and click on Join, the portal will prompt you to sign up.

What can I expect after I Register in Swayam Online Courses?

Now that you have crossed the step of how to register in Swayam courses and also to join a course, here is what you can expect from the course itself. Learners need to go through the course detail page carefully to read all the instructions and also check on any pre-course requirements. Courses hosted on Swayam follow a 4-quadrant approach:

Quadrant 1 (e-Tutorial) – This contains video and audio content organized to conduct the course online. This is supported by transcription of the video and aids like Virtual Lab where required.

Quadrant 2 (e-Content) – This consists of specially created reading material that supplements the e-Tutorial. These can be downloaded and printed. These may include articles, e-Books, Open Source content on the net, research papers, etc.

For certain courses, you may be required to complete mandatory reading of certain course material before you can move forward or do the course assignments. These instructions are communicated on the course detail page.

Quadrant 3 (Assessment) – Assignments may be set with a defined submission date and these may be graded too. Self-assessment can be done through tests and quizzes that will be made available through the course.

Quadrant 4 (Discussion Forum) – There is a forum where a learner can get their doubts clarified online from the Content Instructor or their team.

What is the Fee to Register in Swayam Online Courses?

There is no fee charged for you to register in Swayam online courses. It is free. If the learner wants certifications then there is a nominal fee to be paid. For more details on this see the next section below.

Will I get a Certificate after completion of a Swayam Course?

Once you meet all the criteria for completion of the course, you will get a link from where you can download the course completion certificate. For this, you need to have completed the process of how to register for Swayam courses.

There are certain courses defined as such by the various universities and UGC which are credit courses. You can add the credits from these courses to your academic record. For this, you will be charged a nominal fee. For most courses, there will be an MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) based assessment through a proctored exam (this is a timed exam in which the learner’s exam space is monitored using proctoring software).

Though for certain courses the assessment may be offline and subjective. In such cases, learners are informed in advance regarding the date and location for the examination. The marks or grades you secure in this exam can be added to your academic report.

An institution can allow up to 20% of the total courses being offered in a program in one semester to be through online courses available on Swayam.

How will it help my career to register in Swayam?

There are many advantages of going through the process of how to register in Swayam courses and completing courses with certification. These courses can greatly help in enhancing your career options and growth. Consider the following points:

• All the courses offered on Swayam are recognized by the government.
• One of the biggest advantages of doing courses on Swayam for university students is that once they have completed the course with certification, they can add the credits to their academic record. See the relevant section above for more details on this.
• For potential learners on Swayam who are just starting on their career path, this is a great way to enhance their resume and do courses that give them further specialization in their field.
• A very useful category of courses on Swayam for freshers and experienced people is that of Soft Skills. This allows them to improve skills like communication and presentation and also to improve their personality to help them become more effective in their space.
• In this age of fast-moving technology, growth needs to keep up with the changing landscape. Swayam is a great platform for learners to upgrade their skills and to acquire more specialized skills in their area. Swayam gives learners a great opportunity to fill the gaps by learning from the best that the country has to offer. The courses on Advanced Corporate Strategy, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning are all excellent for skill upgrade.
• It is a smart idea for competitive exams or interview candidates to follow the process of how to register in Swayam and do relevant courses. It will help give them the much-needed edge. For example, for a candidate appearing for the UPSC exams, a course on Microeconomics or Language and Society would be excellent preparation for the interview and exam.
• For those who are looking at starting their own business using a specific skill, there are skill-based courses also offered on the portal. Courses like Animation, Basics of Event Management, Digital Marketing, Beauty Therapy can help a learner get a head start in their career or even start their own business. A combination of a skill-based course and one on Entrepreneurship can set a learner on the path to creating a successful business.