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A Critical Evaluation of the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL): The Flagship Indian Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) Programme

NPTEL is a prominent Indian example of an online learning system backed by the Indian State. Driven by the government regulatory policy and learners' needs, NPTEL has become popular with students enrolled in the Indian higher education sector, especially in engineering and science disciplines. This paper critically evaluates NPTEL among Indian learners using NPTEL and field survey data. The data analysis for various engineering and science MOOCs is based on parameters such as registration rate, completion rate, type of users, and the reasons for using NPTEL. Firstly, the study shows a high completion rate for Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and Professional Communication courses, but low completion rate for Physics and Electrical and Electronics Engineering courses. Secondly, most students have pursued programming courses of CSE in NPTEL. The field survey revealed positive student feedback on their institute's effort and help to pursue and complete NPTEL courses. However, it also highlights the disparity between students of public and private colleges in receiving monetary aid for pursuing NPTEL courses. Finally, the last section discusses the implications and observations of NPTEL based on our findings and the future scope of work on MOOCs policy.