Originally sourced from dqindia.com. This article summarizes the NPTEL cloud computing course announcement from IIT Kharagpur. Note that the enrollment and exam dates referenced are from early 2020; check the NPTEL website for current course offerings.
Overview: Free Cloud Computing Course from IIT Kharagpur
IIT Kharagpur, under the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s (MHRD) National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) initiative, announced a free online course on cloud computing open to eligible students across India.
NPTEL is a joint initiative of MHRD and seven Indian Institutes of Technology — Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Guwahati, and Roorkee — along with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Its mission is to deliver high-quality technical education to any learner interested in IIT-standard content, at no cost.
Course Details
- Duration: 8 weeks (24 February 2020 – 17 April 2020)
- Instructor: Prof. Soumya K. Ghosh, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Kharagpur
- Platform: NPTEL online learning portal
- Cost to enroll: Free
Prof. Soumya K. Ghosh has a background in satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems, having previously worked with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) before joining IIT Kharagpur.
Who Is Eligible?
The course targets engineering undergraduates and postgraduate students from the following streams:
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Electronics Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
Prospective students should have foundational knowledge of:
- Computer architecture and organization
- Computer networking fundamentals
Curriculum: What the Course Covers
The 8-week course spans both foundational and advanced cloud computing topics:
- Introduction to Cloud Computing — core concepts, definitions, and the evolution of cloud services
- Cloud Computing Architecture — layered architecture, deployment models (public, private, hybrid)
- Service Management in Cloud Computing — SLAs, provisioning, and lifecycle management
- Data Management in Cloud Computing — storage models, distributed data, consistency
- Resource Management in Cloud — scheduling, load balancing, and virtualization
- Cloud Security — threat models, identity management, data privacy
- Open Source and Commercial Clouds — overview of platforms such as OpenStack alongside commercial providers
- Cloud Simulator — practical simulation tools used in cloud research
- Research Trends in Cloud Computing — emerging directions in the field
- Fog Computing — edge and fog computing paradigms and their relationship to cloud
How to Earn a Certificate
Enrolling in and completing the online course is entirely free. However, students who want an officially recognized certificate bearing the IIT Kharagpur and NPTEL logos — and AICTE-approved FDP credit — must follow an additional process:
Step 1: Register for the Proctored Exam
Students must register separately and appear in person at a designated examination centre. The exam fee is Rs 1,000.
- Exam date: 26 April 2020
- Morning session: 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
- Afternoon session: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Step 2: Meet the Scoring Criteria
To qualify for the certificate, candidates must satisfy the following criteria:
- Assignment score: Minimum 25% of the average of the best 6 assignments out of 8 total
- Exam score: Minimum 75% of the proctored certification exam score (out of 100)
- Final score: Average assignment score + exam score
Candidates who meet both thresholds receive a certificate co-branded by IIT Kharagpur and NPTEL.
Why This Course Matters for DevOps and Cloud Engineers
Cloud computing is foundational to modern DevOps practice. Understanding cloud architecture, resource scheduling, data management, and security directly supports roles in platform engineering, infrastructure automation, and site reliability engineering. Courses like this one from IIT Kharagpur provide structured, academically rigorous coverage of these topics — an asset whether you are building skills from scratch or reinforcing existing knowledge with a recognized credential.
NPTEL regularly offers updated runs of popular courses. If you missed this 2020 session, visit nptel.ac.in to check for current or upcoming cloud computing courses.