NPTEL was launched in 2003 by seven IITs: [[Indian Institute of Technology Bombay|Bombay]], [[Indian Institute of Technology Delhi|Delhi]], [[Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur|Kanpur]], [[Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur|Kharagpur]], [[Indian Institute of Technology Madras|Madras]], [[Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati|Guwahati]] and [[Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee|Roorkee]], in conjunction with the [[Indian Institute of Science]] (IISC).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nptel, online courses and certification, Learn for free|url=https://nptel.ac.in/about_nptel.html|access-date=2020-08-06|website=nptel.ac.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-24|title=What makes NPTEL India's EdTech hero — without newsy fundings and valuations|url=https://factordaily.com/nptel-india-edtech-mooc/|access-date=2020-08-06|website=FactorDaily|language=en-US}}</ref> The courses were designed for these students. Those who did not have the same background and training, found the courses hard to follow. NPTEL was then restructured to offer customized massive open online courses (MOOCs) with exams.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Digital interventions at scale: lessons from NPTEL and IIT madras BS degree program | URL= https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3550473 |access-date=2024-05-05|website= Communications of the ACM | date=November 2022}}</ref>
==Certificates and Assessments ==
InThe MarchNPTEL 2014,has NPTELadopted beganthe offeringcoursesMOOC along([[Massive withopen online course]]) model so that students outside IIT system can also participate in-centre learning quality content and proctoredget certificationcertified, examinations.provided Thesethey NPTELmeet onlinethe certificationassessment (NOC)criteria in the exams conducted at the end of the NPTEL semesters. All courses are offeredfree twiceto aenrol yearand (Jan-Jun,learn Jul-Dec)from.<ref>{{citeThe webcertification |title=exam NPTELis Onlineoptional Certification(NOC)and |url=comes https://nptel.ac.in/semesterat a |access-date=2024-05-05|website=nptelfee of Rs 1000 per course exam.ac.in}} </ref> Course credits can also be transferred to other higher education institutions student or the Academic Bank of Credits under the UGC guidelines. NPTEL courses aim for equitable access. They intended to be available, irrespective of ___location. Students in non-urban and rural areas can also study via supplementary DVDs and mobile delivered content. NPTEL exams can be written be students no matter where they are located. Assessments take place either at an exam site, or via remote proctoring<ref>{{cite web |title= International NPTEL Learning |url= https://nptel.ac.in/international |access-date=2024-05-05|website=nptel.ac.in}}</ref>. NPTEL is the largest e-repository in the world of courses in engineering, basic sciences and selected humanities and management subjects.<ref> {{cite web |title= About Us|url= https://nptel.ac.in/aboutus |access-date=2024-05-05|website=nptel.ac.in}}</ref> The initiative runs through MOOCs ([[Massive open online course]]) model so that students outside IIT system can also participate in learning quality content and get certified provided they meet the passing criteria in the exams conducted at the end of the NPTEL semesters. All courses are free to enrol and learn from. The certification exam is optional and comes at a fee of Rs 1000 per course exam.
The headquarters of NPTEL is located inside [[IIT Madras]].
