Overview

IIT Kharagpur, in collaboration with Google Cloud, offered a free Google Cloud Computing Foundations course through the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). The course was designed for learners with little or no prior background in cloud computing, giving them a structured introduction to cloud concepts, big data, and machine learning — with a specific focus on how Google Cloud Platform (GCP) fits into each area.

What Is NPTEL?

NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education (formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development) involving seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. Its mission is to deliver high-quality technical and scientific education to anyone in India — and globally — at no cost.

Course Instructors

The course was led by Prof. Soumya K. Ghosh from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. Before his academic career, Prof. Ghosh worked at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), specialising in satellite remote sensing and geographic information systems.

Alongside Prof. Ghosh, several Google Cloud experts contributed as instructors, including:

• Jimmy Tran — Senior Program Manager, Google Cloud
• Sowmya Kannan — Global Lead for Google Cloud Learning in Higher Education
• Priyanka Vergadia — Engineer, Google Cloud
• Seth Vargo — Engineer, Google Cloud
• Alex Hanna — Researcher, Ethical AI team, Google

Who Was the Course For?

The course targeted students and professionals with little or no prior cloud computing experience. It was approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) as a Faculty Development Programme (FDP), making it relevant for both students and educators looking to build foundational cloud skills.

Course Curriculum

The syllabus was structured to take learners from first principles to practical cloud usage. Modules covered:

1. Introduction to cloud computing
2. What is the cloud, and how does it work?
3. Building a solid platform foundation on GCP
4. Using GCP to build and deploy applications
5. Cloud storage options and when to use them
6. Working with Google Cloud APIs
7. Cloud security fundamentals
8. Networking in the cloud
9. Monitoring and observability with Google tools
10. Big data processing and analysis on GCP
11. Introduction to machine learning on GCP

A key component of the course was hands-on lab work via the Qwiklabs platform, which allowed participants to practise GCP tasks in a real cloud environment without incurring personal cloud costs.

Certification and Exam Details

Enrolling and completing the course content was free of charge. However, participants who wanted an official e-certificate were required to:

• Register separately for the proctored exam
• Appear in person at one of the designated NPTEL exam centres
• Pay an exam fee of ₹1,000

The exam was scheduled for 25 April 2020, with two sessions: a morning session (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and an afternoon session (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM).

The issued e-certificate included the candidate’s name, photograph, and final exam score with a detailed breakup. It carried the logos of both NPTEL and IIT Kharagpur. No physical (hard-copy) certificates were dispatched.

Why This Course Matters for DevOps and Cloud Engineers

While the specific enrollment window for this cohort has closed, the course content reflects a well-structured onramp to GCP that remains highly relevant. For DevOps practitioners, the combination of cloud fundamentals, API usage, security, networking, and monitoring maps directly to the skills required for managing modern cloud-native infrastructure. NPTEL periodically re-runs popular courses, so engineers interested in a similar structured curriculum should check the NPTEL portal for updated offerings.

Source: Originally reported by DQ India.

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:

1. Introduction to Cloud Computing — core concepts, definitions, and the evolution of cloud services
2. Cloud Computing Architecture — layered architecture, deployment models (public, private, hybrid)
3. Service Management in Cloud Computing — SLAs, provisioning, and lifecycle management
4. Data Management in Cloud Computing — storage models, distributed data, consistency
5. Resource Management in Cloud — scheduling, load balancing, and virtualization
6. Cloud Security — threat models, identity management, data privacy
7. Open Source and Commercial Clouds — overview of platforms such as OpenStack alongside commercial providers
8. Cloud Simulator — practical simulation tools used in cloud research
9. Research Trends in Cloud Computing — emerging directions in the field
10. 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.