Free Online Courses: Several Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) are offering free online courses through the SWAYAM portal, with registrations closing soon. These courses cover high-demand skills such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Blockchain, Advertising, Sales, and Public Relations. Open to students and working professionals, most programmes run for around three months and begin in January 2026. Candidates can enrol at no cost and gain learning experience from top IIM and IIT faculty across India.
Most of these courses have a duration of around three months and are scheduled to begin in late January. Registrations are currently open.
Top Courses Offered by IIMs on the SWAYAM Portal
1. IIT Madras Free Machine Learning Course
The course will commence on January 19 and conclude on April 10, 2026. Registrations will remain open until February 13, 2026. It will be taught by Balaraman Ravindran, Professor of Computer Science at IIT Madras and Mindtree Faculty Fellow.
This course is best suited for senior undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students. Learners will gain exposure to machine learning applications such as fraud detection, spam email identification, and house price prediction. So far, 29,759 learners have enrolled, and 1,058 have applied for the exam.
2. IIT Roorkee Free User Interface Design Course
Students interested in learning UI design through case studies and best practices can apply for this course until January 26, 2026. The programme begins with an introduction and brief history of UI design, followed by its methodology and key components such as visual communication in interface design. A total of 2,008 learners have enrolled so far.
3. Advertising, Sales, and Public Relations
The Advertising and Sales course will be taught by Dr Bharti Singh, Assistant Professor (Senior Scale), Faculty of Business Management, CDOE, Manipal University Jaipur. The 10-week course will run from January 12 to April 30, 2026.
The Advertising and Public Relations course will be conducted by the Head of the Institute and Associate Professor of Media Studies at Amity University Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior. This programme will run for eight weeks.
"IIMB Advertising and Sales Course 2026 Application Link"
"IIMB Advertising and Public Relations Course 2026 Application Link"
4. Foundations of Deep Learning: Concepts and Applications (Free)
The course Foundations of Deep Learning: Concepts and Applications is designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students with no prior background in the subject. It will run for three months, from January 19 to April 10, 2026. So far, 8,881 learners have enrolled.
5. Deep Learning
This course begins in January 2026 and is ideal for students interested in areas such as image recognition, speech recognition, and other AI-based tasks. Applications can be submitted through the SWAYAM portal (onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in). The last date to register is January 26, 2026. Appearing for the exam is optional.
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Management
Students interested in understanding the application of AI in business and management can apply for this programme.
7. Blockchain and Its Applications
Undergraduate students, postgraduate students, and industry professionals can apply for this course before January 26, 2026.
SWAYAM offers a wide range of courses in collaboration with leading institutes such as IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIM Bangalore (IIMB), and others. Students and working professionals can use the platform to upskill or transition into new career paths.
SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-learning for Young Aspiring Minds) is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform launched by the Government of India. It offers free, high-quality educational content from Class 9 to postgraduate level, aiming to make quality education accessible to all and bridge the digital divide.