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Free AI Course by Government of India: What Is Free, Who Runs It and How Certificates Work

Satvik ParamkushamUpdated October 5, 202612 min read

Quick answer

The main free AI course by the Government of India is YUVA AI for ALL, a 4.5-hour self-paced course from MeitY under the IndiaAI Mission that gives a free Government of India certificate. For deeper study, SWAYAM and NPTEL courses are free to learn, but their certificates need a proctored exam that charges a fee.

"Government of India free AI course with certificate" is one of the most searched AI learning queries in India, and also one of the most misused. WhatsApp forwards and YouTube thumbnails attach the government's name to private courses, paid programmes and outright scams. The real options are good, but they are run by different ministries, aimed at different people, and handle certificates in different ways.

This page lists only programmes run or backed by the Government of India, names the ministry or body behind each one, and states clearly what is free and what costs money. We checked each claim on a government website or a Press Information Bureau release. If a private company is involved, we say so. For a broader list that also covers Google, IBM and universities, see our free AI courses with certificate.

Which ministry runs which free AI course in India?

Each government AI course is run by a different ministry or body, and that tells you who it is for. Here is the map:

ProgrammeRun byBest forCertificate
YUVA AI for ALLMeitY, under the IndiaAI MissionEveryone, especially youthFree, Government of India
SWAYAMMinistry of EducationSchool to postgraduate learnersProctored exam with a fee
NPTELIITs and IISc, funded by Ministry of EducationEngineering students and professionalsProctored exam with a fee
FutureSkills Primenasscom and MeitYJob-focused tech skillsVaries by course
SOAR on Skill India Digital HubMinistry of Skill Development and EntrepreneurshipClasses 6 to 12 and educatorsCheck the official page
iGOT KarmayogiKarmayogi Bharat, under Mission Karmayogi (DoPT)Government employeesCheck on the platform
CBSE AI subjectCBSESchool students in Classes 9 to 12Board marks, not a separate certificate

Is the government AI course really free with certificate?

Yes for YUVA AI for ALL, and partly for the rest. The government's AI literacy course is free from start to certificate. The larger academic platforms are free to learn on, but charge for the exam that leads to a certificate.

In plain terms:

  • Free course and free certificate: YUVA AI for ALL. The PIB release says every learner who completes it gets an official Government of India certificate.
  • Free course, paid certificate exam: SWAYAM and NPTEL. You can watch every lecture and submit assignments for free, then pay only if you want the proctored exam and certificate.
  • Mixed: FutureSkills Prime has some free courses, including YUVA AI for ALL, and many paid courses at discounted prices, with government incentives on completion of eligible courses.

If you are new to AI, starting with the free literacy course and our AI course for beginners path is the cheapest way to find out whether you want to go deeper before paying any exam fee.

7 free AI courses and programmes by the Government of India

How we chose: each programme below is run by a Government of India ministry, a statutory board, or an initiative the government co-runs, and we confirmed it on a government website or PIB release in October 2026. For each one we checked who runs it, who it is for, whether learning is free, and what the certificate costs. Where a fee exists, we say so without quoting amounts, because fees change each semester. Always confirm on the official page.

  1. 1. YUVA AI for ALL (MeitY, IndiaAI Mission)

    Run by:
    MeitY, IndiaAI Mission
    Price:
    Free
    Certificate:
    Free, Government of India
    Level:
    Beginner, no coding
    Duration:
    About 4.5 hours

    The single best answer to "free AI course by government of India with certificate". The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology launched it in November 2025 under the IndiaAI Mission as a free, 4.5-hour self-paced course in six short modules: what AI is, the technology behind it, using AI to learn and create, AI ethics, and the future of AI. It was developed for the mission by author Jaspreet Bindra and uses Indian examples throughout.

    It is hosted on FutureSkills Prime, iGOT Karmayogi and DIKSHA, and a January 2026 PIB release says it is being made available in 11 Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil and Bengali.

    The catch: it builds AI literacy, not technical skills, so treat it as step one.

    Official site

  2. 2. SWAYAM (Ministry of Education)

    Run by:
    Ministry of Education
    Price:
    Free to learn
    Certificate:
    Paid proctored exam
    Level:
    School to postgraduate
    Format:
    Semester-based MOOCs

    India's national MOOC platform, initiated by the Government of India through the Ministry of Education. SWAYAM states that its courses are free of cost to learners, and they span Class 9 to postgraduate level. Courses come from national coordinators including NPTEL, AICTE, UGC, CEC, IIM Bangalore, NCERT, NIOS and IGNOU, so you will find AI and machine learning courses at several levels.

    How the certificate works: to get one, you register for the final proctored exam, which comes at a fee, and attend it in person at a designated centre on a set date. Eligibility rules are announced per course.

    Best for: college students who want a recognised, exam-backed record of an AI course, and who can plan around an exam date.

    Official site

  3. 3. NPTEL (IITs and IISc)

    Run by:
    IITs and IISc, funded by MoE
    Price:
    Free to learn
    Certificate:
    Paid proctored exam
    Level:
    Undergraduate and above

    The strongest free option for engineering students who want serious AI and machine learning theory taught by IIT faculty. NPTEL is an online learning initiative by the IITs and IISc, funded by the Ministry of Education, and offers more than 3,200 courses for self-study. Its courses run on SWAYAM as well as NPTEL's own portal.

    How the certificate works: NPTEL's FAQ says you join the course, submit weekly assignments, register and pay for the exam, then write the proctored exam in person at a centre. You need a minimum score in both the assignments and the final exam.

    The catch: courses follow a semester calendar with fixed deadlines, so check enrolment dates. For many students the free lectures alone are enough; pay for the exam only if the certificate counts for credits or placements.

    Official site

  4. 4. FutureSkills Prime (nasscom and MeitY)

    Run by:
    nasscom and MeitY
    Price:
    Some free; many paid
    Certificate:
    Varies by course
    Level:
    Beginner to advanced

    A digital skilling platform run by nasscom with MeitY, focused on job-ready skills in AI, data, cloud and other technologies. It hosts the free YUVA AI for ALL course alongside longer AI and machine learning courses and pathways.

    How pricing works: most of the longer courses are paid, at what the platform calls discounted prices, and the site advertises Government of India incentives on completion of eligible courses. Certificates are industry-approved nasscom certifications for the paid assessments.

    Best for: graduates and working professionals who want a structured, job-linked AI pathway and are willing to pay for some of it. Read the incentive conditions carefully on the official page before you enrol, since eligibility depends on the course.

    Official site

  5. 5. SOAR: Skilling for AI Readiness (MSDE, Skill India Digital Hub)

    Run by:
    Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
    Price:
    Check official page
    Certificate:
    Check official page
    Level:
    Classes 6 to 12 and educators
    Duration:
    15-hour student modules

    The government's AI programme for school students and teachers. The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched Skilling for AI Readiness in July 2025 for students in Classes 6 to 12 and for educators. According to the PIB backgrounder, it has three targeted 15-hour modules for students and one separate 45-hour module for educators, covering topics such as ethical AI use and the basics of machine learning. It is delivered through platforms including the Skill India Digital Hub.

    The catch: the PIB document does not state fees or certificate details, so check the Skill India Digital Hub page before you plan around a certificate. For younger learners, our free AI course for kids is a gentler start.

    Official site

  6. 6. iGOT Karmayogi (for government employees)

    Run by:
    Karmayogi Bharat, Mission Karmayogi
    Price:
    Check with your department
    Certificate:
    Check on the platform
    Level:
    Government employees
    Language:
    English, Hindi and more

    If you work for a central or state government, this is where your official AI learning lives. iGOT Karmayogi is the digital learning platform of Mission Karmayogi, the national programme for civil services capacity building implemented by the Department of Personnel and Training, and operated by Karmayogi Bharat. PIB reports that it hosts thousands of courses in many languages, including English and Hindi.

    YUVA AI for ALL is available on iGOT Karmayogi, so government employees can take the free AI literacy course and have it recorded on the same platform as their other training.

    Who should look elsewhere: students and private-sector learners, who should take YUVA AI for ALL on FutureSkills Prime instead.

    Official site

  7. 7. CBSE Artificial Intelligence skill subject (Classes 9 to 12)

    Run by:
    CBSE
    Price:
    Free curriculum
    Certificate:
    Board marks
    Level:
    Classes 9 to 12

    Not an online course you sign up for, but the government school system's own AI curriculum, and the right answer for many parents searching for a free government AI course for students. CBSE offers Artificial Intelligence as a skill subject: code 417 for Classes 9 and 10, and code 843 for Classes 11 and 12. The syllabus covers AI basics, the AI project cycle, neural networks, Python, data literacy and AI ethics, and CBSE publishes curriculum documents free on its academic website.

    The catch: you take it through a CBSE school that offers the subject, and the result appears in board marks rather than a separate certificate. Students who want a project for the subject can use our CBSE Class 10 AI project guide.

    Official site

Is the Jio, Google or Microsoft free AI course a government course?

No. Jio, Google and Microsoft run their own free AI courses, and none of them is a Government of India course, even when social media posts say so.

  • Jio AI Classroom is designed by Jio Institute and powered by JioPC. It is free, but Jio says only learners who finish on JioPC get the official Jio Institute certificate; others get a completion badge.
  • Google's free AI courses, such as Introduction to Generative AI, are run by Google and give free skill badges. Details are on our page of free AI courses by Google.
  • Microsoft Learn courses and Applied Skills credentials are run by Microsoft.

Some government programmes do work with companies, for example FutureSkills Prime is run with nasscom. The difference is that a government programme is announced by a ministry or on PIB, and lives on a government website.

How do you spot a fake government AI course offer?

A genuine Government of India AI course never asks you to pay a "registration fee" to an individual or share OTPs to enrol. Fake offers often copy ministry logos and promise "free AI certificate plus laptop" or similar rewards.

Check these four things before you sign up:

  1. The domain. Official programmes live on .gov.in or .nic.in sites, or on named partner platforms such as FutureSkills Prime and SWAYAM.
  2. A PIB release. Real national launches, like YUVA AI for ALL, have a Press Information Bureau release you can search.
  3. Who is asking for money. SWAYAM and NPTEL exam fees are paid only on their own exam portals.
  4. Over-promises. No real course guarantees a job, a stipend or a gift for finishing.

How to learn AI for free using only government platforms

You can build solid AI foundations in about two months using only free government options:

  • Week 1: finish YUVA AI for ALL and download the certificate. Read our explainer on what generative AI is alongside it.
  • Weeks 2 to 3: pick an introductory AI or machine learning course on NPTEL or SWAYAM that matches your background, and follow the lectures weekly.
  • Weeks 4 to 7: keep up with the weekly assignments. Decide by the exam registration deadline whether you want to pay for the proctored exam.
  • Week 8: build one small project from our AI projects for beginners list so you have something to show besides certificates.

School students can follow SOAR or their CBSE AI subject instead of NPTEL. Working professionals can swap NPTEL for a FutureSkills Prime pathway if they want a job-linked credential.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the free AI course by Government of India with certificate?

YUVA AI for ALL, launched by MeitY under the IndiaAI Mission, is free and gives an official Government of India certificate on completion. It is a 4.5-hour self-paced course available on FutureSkills Prime, iGOT Karmayogi and DIKSHA, and needs no technical background.

Is the NPTEL AI course free?

Learning on NPTEL is free: you can watch the lectures and do the assignments without paying. The certificate is different. You must register and pay for a proctored exam, write it in person at a centre, and meet minimum scores in both assignments and the exam.

Is YUVA AI for ALL available in Hindi?

A January 2026 PIB release says the course is being made available in 11 Indian languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. Check the course page on FutureSkills Prime for the languages live when you enrol.

Is the Jio free AI course a Government of India course?

No. Jio AI Classroom is designed by Jio Institute and powered by JioPC, a private company programme. It is free, but the official Jio Institute certificate goes only to learners who complete it on JioPC. For a government certificate, take YUVA AI for ALL instead.

Are there free government AI courses for school students?

Yes. SOAR, run by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, targets Classes 6 to 12 with 15-hour AI modules. CBSE also offers Artificial Intelligence as a skill subject from Class 9. YUVA AI for ALL is open to students of any age who can follow it.

Can government employees take free AI courses?

Yes. Government employees can take YUVA AI for ALL on iGOT Karmayogi, the Mission Karmayogi learning platform operated by Karmayogi Bharat, so the course is recorded alongside their other official training. Check with your department about any AI courses it has assigned.

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