Top 5 Best IIT online courses worth pursuing

Introduction

IIT online courses - Kudos on taking a firm step towards your career. Whether you’ve decided to enhance your career prospects and boost your CV by showcasing an IIT-endorsed certificate or simply upskilling yourself to diversify your expertise, you have landed at the right spot!‌‌

This blog will cover an in-depth insight into IIT online courses and the top ones you should choose that are relevant to your field, be it data science, artificial intelligence, MBA, or even cyber security!‌‌

Let’s begin on a lighter note.‌‌

I was about to grab a bite of my favourite sweet when my relative asked me, ‘So, why are you not preparing for Government exams? You do have the calibre to clear UPSC’. That dropped like a bomb on my head!‌‌

Why? Because I know that no matter how studious and bright of a student I look, deep down inside, I know I am not! Secondly, I did not want a Government job!‌‌

So, for me, Government jobs, studying at IIT, and buying a luxury villa in Luxembourg were all far-fetched dreams, which are still dreams!‌‌

But wait, why am I saying all of this? Because if you have landed on this blog, it means you have already chosen to chase your dreams and decided to be a part of the most prestigious engineering institute in the country. And trust me, it takes courage!‌‌

Because syncing in with the rigorous curriculum and level of education that IITs are known for, the unwavering dedication, effort, and time commitment it takes to show up every day and gain the IIT-endorsed certification is not everyone’s cup of tea!‌‌

Now, let’s skip to the main part. There are 23 IITs in India, many of which have an extensive catalogue of courses, specializations, and minor degrees.‌‌

So, which are the best online courses IIT provides that you should move forward with? Let’s dive deeper into the blog and explore the top 10 online IIT courses from a bird’s eye view.

‌‌Are IIT online courses worth pursuing?

Let me break the ice for you - It depends on the outcome you seek by enrolling in IIT’s certification programs. ‌‌

A wide canopy of courses, from blockchain technology to executive MBA, data science to AI/ML, and cyber security to social sciences, is available.‌‌

These online courses are further bifurcated into certification programs, specializations, and minor degrees. These are typically short-term programs spanning between 3 months to 2 years.‌‌

These courses follow a rigorous curriculum structure that IITs are known for and provide a conceptual and comprehensive understanding of core concepts in a specific niche. ‌‌

IIT professors and faculty members, including industry domain experts, will teach you directly, which makes the course syllabus richer and equips you with hands-on and practical skills.‌‌

You get the flexibility to learn at your own pace via recorded lectures or online live interactive sessions, and it is designed to accommodate the learning schedule of both students and working professionals.‌‌

Last but not least, the course fees for IIT online courses are far more affordable than those for regular courses. This methodical approach towards IIT online certificate programs has made high-quality education accessible nationwide.

Overall, IIT online courses are worth it, whether you want to stand out, showcase your expertise with an IIT-endorsed certificate, or enhance your job prospects. ‌‌

Also, IIT online certification programs are a go-ahead if you want to gain practical subject matter expertise and upskill yourself in a specific domain.‌‌

If you want to know more, read my blog about whether IIT online courses are worth it!

‌‌IIT online certificate courses - Equivalent to regular ones?

Allow me to be honest here - A person who knows how to practically manage people and communicate confidently will always be more valuable than someone who pursued an online degree in ‘communication skills’.‌‌

It takes years of preparation and hard work to crack JEE Mains & Advanced. And surviving 4 years in IIT, irrespective of the course background, takes unwavering dedication and commitment.‌‌

So, someone who has studied and passed out of IIT will always hold more weightage in comparison to someone who has pursued a specialization or a minor degree from IIT.

So, are IIT online courses not useful? Not, they are! Let’s clarify: Studying at an IIT and pursuing an ‘online course’ at IIT are two different things.‌‌

There are a lot of institutes across India that might teach you the same thing that IIT does. But the course curriculum and their rigorous teaching patterns is something that IITs are known for, and that’s where you gain competitive advantage.‌‌

Getting taught by industry mentors and IIT faculty members helps you learn practical skills that employers value, and you will stand out among your peers.‌‌

These courses or specializations are designed with your other commitments in mind, be it your college studies or a job!‌‌

Additionally, the fee structure of the programs is an added benefit. These courses typically cost far less than 1/4th of their regular courses, accommodating their students' diverse learning styles and schedules.‌‌

So, if finance has been a barrier to studying at an IIT, worry no more! You can also hold a piece of the IIT weight by enrolling in these courses.

Many of these IIT courses also provide alumni status and campus immersion. This is where you can get access to the IIT campus as a student a limited number of times throughout the year, as well as exclusive access to their cultural programs and fests.

‌‌IIT courses - An alternative to JEE?

IIT online certificate programs help you get the initial thrust and equip you with practical industry knowledge that puts you ahead of your colleagues and students.‌‌

If you are an employee, pursuing an online course from IIT is a no-brainer, as it helps you unlock better opportunities in your career and holds credibility, even if you are looking to upskill yourself.‌‌

However, there is a little bonus! If you are completely overwhelmed by studying at an IIT, but also don’t want to sit for competitive exams like JEE at the same time, you can still get admission in IIT.‌‌

How? You can appear for competitive exams like GATE, CAT, HSEE, JAM, etc, to get admission in their management or social science courses.‌‌

Remember that without JEE, you will not be eligible for admission to IIT for their engineering courses. However, your pathways to other course catalogues in IIT will always be open!‌‌

If you want to know more, read my blog on how to get admission in IIT without JEE entrance exams.

Top 5 best IIT online courses you should go for

Before I begin, let me clarify the great misconception - IITs are the country's most premium and prestigious engineering institutes, but they are not only limited to engineering.‌‌

They are infamous for their management and humanities courses. So, don’t be surprised if an investment banker tells you he passed from IIT, not IIM.‌‌

Without much ado, let’s begin!

‌‌1. Minor in Artificial Intelligence, IIT Ropar

With the rapid evolution of AI and its implications in our daily lives, leveraging the technology to your advantage is now quintessential. The global salary for an Artificial Intelligence Engineer is roughly 13.48 cr.‌‌

The Artificial Intelligence industry value is projected to increase by over 13x over the next 6 years. In India, the demand for AI & ML is breaking ceilings, and even as a fresher, you can take home anywhere between 6-12 lakhs.‌‌

In a recent Salesforce survey, 60% of public sector IT professionals identified a shortage of AI skills as their top challenge to implementing Artificial Intelligence.‌‌

Specifically in India, a report by Business Standard states that AI talent is likely to jump to 12,50,000 in 2027 from the current 600,00 - 650,000. ‌‌

The Minor in Artificial Intelligence by IIT Ropar program is a 15-credit program that lasts 9 months.

The course curriculum will cover basic and advanced AI topics, and you will be taught industry-related comprehensive AI subjects approved by IIT and NCVET.‌‌

The course will be taught directly by IIT faculty members and Industry experts, led by Prof. (Dr) Sudarshan Iyenger (Head of Department, CSE, IIT Ropar) and Prof. (Dr.) Pushpendra P. Singh (Project Director iHUB-AWaDH & Dean R&D, IIT Ropar).‌‌

Additionally, you will gain exclusive access to a 5-day campus immersion at IIT Ropar.

Speaking about the fee structure, the Minor in AI course is far more affordable than other non-IIT courses in the same domain, which makes this program a top student choice.

‌‌A sneak peek into the course curriculum

Semester 1 (Divided in Part A & B)‌‌

A. Part A - Foundation (3 credits) (Live Sessions - 25 hrs, Duration - 2 months)‌‌

1. Aptitude & Mathematics Fundamentals‌‌
2. Quick brush up on programming skills, with a core focus on Python and its applications in data science & AI‌‌‌‌
3. Introduction to Prompt Engineering‌‌
4. Data handling using various tools and libraries‌‌

B. Part B - Fundamentals of Data Science (4 credits) (Live sessions - 30 hrs, Duration - 2 months)‌‌

1. Five important prerequisites for data science‌‌
2. 10 classical theories and discoveries that have shaped the field of data science‌‌

Semester 2 (Divided into Parts A, B & C)‌‌

A. Part A - Core Topics (4 credits) (Live sessions - 3 hrs, Duration - 2 months)‌‌

1. Neural Networks + Advances (LLMs)‌‌
2. Computer Vision (CV)‌‌
3. Natural Language Processing (NLP)‌‌

B. Part B - Specialization (Any 2 - 2 credits) (Live sessions - 15 hrs, Duration - 1 month)‌‌

1. Mechanics‌‌
2. Internet Of Things‌‌
3. tinyML‌‌
4. Robotics‌‌
5. General Applications of AI‌‌

C. Project (2 credits) (Duration - 1 month)‌‌

1. AI in Film Editing‌‌
2. Language Translation‌‌
3. Content Recommendation Systems‌‌
4. AI in Personalized Learning‌‌

Final exams will be held offline in centres across the country. This adds to the authenticity and credibility of the course, which provides you with a competitive advantage over other courses in the same domain.

2. Minor in CSE & Advanced Technologies, IIT Mandi

Minor in CSE & Advanced Technologies by IIT Mandi is a 15-credit program with a total duration of 9 months. ‌‌

With 224 learning hours, 64 live classes, 64 practicals, 3 projects, 6 evaluations and 1 final offline exam, the curriculum depth is industry-related and approved by IIT and NCVET.

You will be taught directly by Industry experts and IIT Mandi faculty members, led by Dr Indu Joshi (Asst. Prof. at IIT Mandi), Dr Prateek Vishnoi (Asst. Prof. at IIT Mandi), and Chetan Gupta (Asst. Prof. at IIT Roorkee).‌‌

You will also get exclusive access to a 5-day campus immersion at IIT Mandi.

‌‌A sneak peek into the course curriculum

Trimester 1

Programming Fundamentals & Essential coding skills (5 credits) (Live sessions - 74 hrs, Duration - 3 months)

1. Introduction to Python & Basic Syntax
2. Variables, Data Types, and Operators
3. Control Structures: Conditional Statements & Loops
4. Functions, Lambda Expressions, and Exception Handling
5. Object-Oriented Programming: Classes, Objects & Inheritance
6. Data Structures in Python: Lists, Strings, and Dictionaries
7. File Handling, Concurrency, and Multithreading

Trimester 2

Data Structures & Algorithms, Problem-solving & algorithmic thinking (5 credits) (Live sessions - 74 hrs, Duration - 3 months)

1. Complexity Analysis & Sorting Algorithms
2. Data Structures: Stacks, Queues, and Linked Lists
3. Binary Search & Recursive Algorithms
4. Recursion, Backtracking, and Greedy Algorithms
5. Dynamic Programming Techniques
6. Graphs and Trees: Traversal & Applications
7. Advanced Data Structures: Heaps, Priority Queues, and Tries

Trimester 3

Core Computer Science Subjects & Industry-relevant skills (5 credits) (Live sessions - 74 hrs, Duration - 3 months)

1. Database Management Systems (DBMS)
2. System Design Principles
3. Cloud Computing Models & Deployment
4. Cybersecurity Fundamentals
5. Operating System Concepts
6. Internet Of Things (IoT)
7. Generative AI & its Applications

This course demands 10 hours of time commitment weekly, with live classes every Thursday (8 pm - 9 pm) and Saturday (11 am - 1 pm).

Also, practicals will be held every Tuesday and Friday (7 pm - 9 pm), accommodating diverse schedules for learners and considering other time commitments of its students.

If you want to switch your domain to tech, start your career, or transition to a better opportunity in IT, this is your go-to course!

3. Minor in Business Analytics, IIT Mandi

Minor in BA by IIT Mandi is a 16-credit program with a total duration of 9 months. This course involves 30+ case studies and practical exercises, with 5 major hands-on projects.

With 80+ hours of career development and analytical skill-building, you also get 20+ masterclasses with industry experts and guest lecturers and claim your certification accredited by IIT Mandi post successful evaluation and final offline exam.

Avail weekly Q&A and doubt-solving sessions with instructors, training on 10 industry-standard analytics tools (Excel, SQL, Power BI, Python, etc.), and also get comprehensive interview prep for Excel, Python, Power BI, SQL, and Tableau.

If you want to leverage the fast-paced world of data science, and analytics and numbers captivate your taste buds, this business analytics course is your perfect fit!

A sneak peek into the course curriculum

Trimester 1 (Divided into Parts A & B)

A. Business Analytics Fundamentals (4 credits, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Learn financial analytics, risk assessment and finance forecasting.
2. HR & Supply Chain Analytics
3. Customer & Operations Analytics
4. Learn ethical considerations and problem-solving frameworks, and prepare for advanced analytics and real-world business challenges.

B. Tools for Business Analytics (4 credits, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Introduction to essentials Excel, SQL, Python, and Power BI tools.
2. Focus on data analysis, visualization, and reporting techniques.
3. Series analysis, Predictive modelling, big data tools, and ethical data governance.
4. Project management, problem-solving, and communication skills for effective analytics in business settings.

Trimester 2 (Divided into Parts A, B & C)

A. Specialization - Elective (3 credits, Duration - 6 weeks)

1. Advanced data collection, management, cleaning, and preparation techniques to ensure data quality and integrity.
2. Multivariate analysis, hypothesis testing, regression, and predictive modelling for business forecasting.
3. Data-driven decision-making and solving business problems using analytical tools.

B. Specialization tracks (Choose any one) (3 credits, Duration - 6 weeks)

1. Marketing Analysis
2. Operations Analysis
3. Financial Analysis
4. Product Analysis

C. Capstone Project (2 credits, Duration - 4 weeks)

Students must apply their knowledge and skills to a project addressing a real-life business problem. The project will involve collecting, analysing, and presenting actionable insights from the data.

4. Minor in Embedded Systems, IIT Mandi

If you have a knack for opening almost every electrical item on your way, just like Rancho did during his college days in 3 Idiots, this course is for you!

If you live and breathe electrical, IIT Mandi's Minor in Embedded Systems fits you right! This course is a 15-credit program with a total duration of 12 months.

You get a 5-day campus immersion with access to IIT  Mandi lab during the immersion and hands-on campus training for 2 weeks.

You will also receive an Embedded Systems Toolkit worth INR 20,000 and will also be a part of CCE IIT Mandi - Smart Technologies Network.

However, this is an advanced course and will require some prior field knowledge. For the same reason, you must either be an electrical student or have completed your Bachelor in Electronics.

A sneak peek into the course curriculum

Trimester 1 (Divided into Parts A & B)

A. Introduction to Embedded Systems (3 credits) (Lecture - 16 hrs, Lab - 16 hrs, Tutorial - 8 hrs, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Overview of Embedded Systems.
2. Basic electronics: Understanding resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors.
3. Introduction to microcontrollers.
4. Embedded C Programming: Syntax, Structure, and Basic Programming.
5. Development Environments & tools: IDEs, compilers, and debuggers.

B. Digital Logic & Computer Architecture (3 credits) (Lecture - 16 hrs, Lab - 16 hrs, Tutorial - 8 hrs, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Digital logic design: Gates, combinational and sequential logic.
2. Basic computer architecture.
3. Assembly language basics.
4. Microprocessor vs Microcontroller.

Trimester 2 (Divided into Parts A & B)

A. Advanced Programming for Embedded Systems (3 credits) (Lecture - 16 hrs, Lab - 16 hrs, Tutorial - 8 hrs, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Advanced Embedded C: Pointers, structures, and interface programming
2. Object-Oriented Programming in Embedded Systems
3. Real-time Operating Systems (RTOS) Basics
4. Scripting for automation using Python or shell scripts
5. Version Control Systems

B. Communication Protocols & Networking (2 credits) (Lecture - 8 hrs, Lab - 12 hrs, Tutorial - 4 hrs, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Serial Communication: UART, SPI, and I2C protocols
2. Networking Protocols: TCP/IP and UDP for embedded systems
3. Wireless Communication: Bluetooth, WiFi, and Zigbee technologies
4. Interface devices: Sensors, actuators, and display technologies
5. Designing for interconnectivity

Trimester 3 (Divided into Parts A & B)

A. Embedded Systems Design & Integration (2 credits) (Lecture - 8 hrs, Lab - 12 hrs, Tutorial - 4 hrs, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Introduction to PCB Design
2. System Architecture Design
3. Power Management
4. Embedded Systems Security
5. Debugging & Testing
6. Case studies: Analysis of real-world embedded systems

B. Advanced topics in Embedded Systems (2 credits) (Lecture - 8 hrs, Lab - 12 hrs, Tutorial - 4 hrs, Duration - 8 weeks)

1. Advanced Microcontroller features: DMA, Interrupts, and low-power modes
2. Embedded Linux
3. Internet Of Things (IoT)
4. Safety-critical systems
5. Emerging Technologies

Immerse yourself today in the complex hardware circuits and learn industry-demanded skills directly from IIT faculty members.

5. Credit-Linked Program in Data Science, IIT Guwahati

According to Mordor Intelligence, the total market size for Big Data in India will reach $2.17 Billion in 2024 and grow to $3.38 Billion by 2029, growing at a rate of 7.66% CAGR. (Mordor)

According to a NASSCOM report, roughly 200,000 data science professionals are in India, and this demand is expected to increase. Some estimates suggest that the country will require around 1.5 million data professionals by 2025.

India earns 60% of its data science market revenue from exporting data science expertise to the United States.

The United States Bureau of Labour Statistics projects that data scientist jobs will grow 36% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average of all occupations.

We have already hit the ground on how big the data science industry is and how it has clear grounds for exponential skyrocketing growth!

This brings me to the last course on the list, which can help you advance in your career and unlock new opportunities at an average hike of 60-70% if you switch your domain to data science.

The IIT Guwahati Credit-Linked Program in Data Science is a 15-credit program, equivalent to a minor degree in CSE.

With a time commitment of 10 hours per week, learn the top 3 data science courses that contribute to the placement of IITians and avail assured placement opportunities after course completion.

Get exclusive access to the IIT Guwahati campus and labs and live lectures and evaluations by IIT professors. Lastly, get a resume, interview, and portfolio preparation to enhance your job prospects.

A sneak peek into the course curriculum

Trimester 1 - Introduction to Data Science

1. Data science fundamentals & its applications
2. Data Analysis & Visualization
3. Data mining, time series analysis, and applying techniques in hands-on final project

Trimester 2 - Machine Learning Fundamentals

1. Core concepts of machine learning
2. Advanced machine learning algorithms and techniques
3. Metrics, overfitting/underfitting, cross-validation, feature engineering, and a capstone project

Trimester 3 - Advanced Data Science Topics

1. Deep Learning & Neural Networks
2. Big Data & Scalable ML
3. Transformers, AutoML, reinforcement learning, ethics in AI, and final research project

Immerse yourself in the IIT Guwahati campus with this credit-linked program in data science. Learn directly from IIT professors and industry mentors and gain practical and valuable skills that recruiters actively seek in potential employees.

A small surprise! Access IIT Guwahati events and have your graduation ceremony after completing the course on the campus!

Takeaway

In my opinion, taking up IIT online courses is worth the time and money to upskill yourself or advance in your professional career.

IIT online certificate programs come with many benefits while upholding the quality of education and being flexible to accommodate the style of varied learners nationwide.

You get wide exposure and access to the IIT campus and the chance to be a part of the IIT alumni network, which can help you excel in your career.

With 23 IITs present across the country, an extensive catalogue of IIT courses is on the Internet. Before moving forward, choose the course that adapts to your learning style and is relevant to your industry.

Ensure that you are eligible for the course, as specific programs might have a set of prerequisites that need to be met before you can enroll.

Your dedication and commitment will ultimately help you succeed, irrespective of your course.

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