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The popularity and utility of online educational courses are on the rise with the recent developments in technology and the outbreak of the global pandemic, leading to widespread lockdowns. Many online learning portals and platforms in India provide students with free online courses with certificates in a large number of specialization areas. So here we have broken down what online courses are and the various details of it, along with some of the top online learning platforms that you can find a variety of courses in 2024. Read more to find further details.
Top 10 Best Online Learning Platforms of 2024 Offering Online Courses with Certificate
While choosing an online course for yourself, it is important to check the credibility of the course and the platform which offers the course, to ensure that it is reliable and valid. So, it is essential that you carefully select the online course from a reliable platform.
Here we have listed the top 10 best online learning platforms in 2024 offering online courses to students:
#1 Grow.Google and Google Digital Garage Online Courses with Certificate
These are two online learning platforms by the search engine giant Google that offer a variety of online certificate courses to students. Grow.Google is a creative online learning platform that provides students with a number of certificate courses to students in domains such as business development, start-ups, personal growth and enhancement, teaching, cultural organizations, NGOs etc. many of these courses are provided to students free of cost along with accredited certificates.
Google Digital Garage is another online learning platform by Google that offers students with a number of certificate courses online related to the field of digital technology, digital marketing, career development, data etc.
This platform allows the added advantage to students to choose between various other online learning platforms by providing similar courses offered by the different platforms at the same place. There are a variety of courses available for students to choose from including online workshops, live training programmes, certificate courses etc. Paid and unpaid courses are provided here.
Since this platform also has collaborations with other learning platforms, it can be said to be an accredited source for completing online courses.
Some of the top features of this platform have been tabulated below:
Grow.Google and Google Digital Courses Online Certificate |
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| Course Types |
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| Course Levels | General, Suitable for All Learners |
| Paid or Unpaid | Both Paid & Unpaid Courses Available |
| Course Areas |
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| Trending Courses |
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#2 Swayam Government Portal Online Courses with Certificate
Swayam is a portal created by the Government of India as an initiative to extend the support of online education to students from a variety of backgrounds. Being an initiative from the Government of India, it is a completely reliable platform for online educational courses with certificates, and offers courses to students in a large variety of subjects, at the school, graduate as well as post-graduate levels. Courses are provided by faculty from prestigious bodies and institutes such as the NCERT, UGC, AICTE, IGNOU, IIM-Bangalore, etc.
All the courses are provided to students free of cost, but if they wish to transfer the course credit to their main degree/diploma, then they can pay a nominal fee amount and appear for the proctored examination. This is one of the most affordable and reliable online learning platforms for students residing in India.
It is well-accredited since the course coordinators are the well-accredited bodies of India such as the UGC, AICTE, NCERT etc. The basics of this platform have been listed below:
Swayam Portal Online Courses with certificate |
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| Course Types |
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| Course Levels |
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| Paid or Unpaid | Unpaid (Nominal Fee needed for Credit Transfer) |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Coordinators |
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| Trending Courses |
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#3 LinkedIn Learning (Formerly Lynda) Online Courses with Certificate
Linkedin Learning is one of the top professional social media creative online learning platforms that provides a large number of services to people including the formation of professional networks and points of contact, finding jobs, etc. It has now extended the same support to providing online learning courses to students.
It includes a large variety of short-term online courses with Certificates for students across a large number of areas. The courses on this platform are paid, although a free trial for the courses is offered to students. Professionals, industry practitioners as well as well-experienced faculties provide the courses to students.
The basic details of the platform are provided below:
LinkedIn Learning (Formerly Known as Lynda) Online Courses with certificate |
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| Course Type | Certification Courses |
| Course Level | General Courses in Specific Professional Domain |
| Paid or Unpaid | Paid with 1 Month Free Trial |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Coordinators | Industry Experts and Professionals |
| Trending Courses |
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#4 Coursera Online Courses
Coursera has emerged as one of the top names in the domain of online learning in recent times. It collaborates with a large number of universities and colleges, including Ivy League colleges to provide degree, diploma, and certificate courses. There are options for choosing both paid or unpaid courses with certificate and degree, and the subject domains explored in this platform are diverse.
Coursera can be an excellent platform for online education for a large number of students with varied needs and areas of interest. It is well-accredited as it has collaborations with well-reputed universities and colleges across the world.
The details about this learning platform are given below:
| Coursera Online Courses | |
| Course Types |
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| Course Levels |
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| Paid or Unpaid | Both Unpaid and Paid Courses |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Coordinators |
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| Trending Courses |
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#5 edX Learning Online Courses
edX online learning platform is another well-known name for online courses with certificates and degrees and provides students across a large number of subject areas. Courses are offered to students in the form of certification and degree programmes. It collaborates with various prestigious universities to offer the support of higher education to students irrespective of the constraints of location and time. There are provisions for both paid and unpaid courses although certificates are provided only for the paid courses.
A number of degree and certification courses are available for students to pursue. edX Learning is a reliable and well-accredited source for obtaining education through online courses.
The basic details about this platform are given below:
edX Learning Online Courses |
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| Course Type |
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| Course Level |
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| Paid or Unpaid | Both Paid and Unpaid (Certificates Only Available for Paid Courses) |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Coordinators |
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| Trending Courses |
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#6 Udemy Online Courses with Certificate
Udemy is an online learning platform which allows students to pursue skill development in specific domains such as Business, IT and Software, Design, Development, etc. It is not strictly an academic platform but rather offers students a large number of online courses with certificates in specific professional and other areas.
There are paid and unpaid courses, with or without certifications. The courses are taught by experienced industry professionals and subject matter experts.
More details about the platform are provided here:
Udemy Online Courses with Certificate |
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| Course Type |
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| Course Level | General Courses for Professional and Other Skills Development |
| Paid or Unpaid | Both Paid and Unpaid Courses |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Partners |
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| Trending Courses |
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#7 Skillshare Online Courses with Certificate
Skillshare is an innovative and unique online learning platform that focuses on the skill development of individuals in areas which may or may not necessarily be professional or academic. It is a platform that allows students to pursue areas of interest further by enhancing one’s adeptness at them. Some of the commonly explored domains on this platform include animation, design, lifestyle, photo and film, business, illustration, writing etc.
There is a one-month free trial for the courses after which the students need to enrol for a paid membership for further access. However, one thing to keep in mind is that Skillshare is mainly a skill enhancement platform and hence offers courses without any certificate or other credentials.
The basics about the platform have been listed below:
Skillshare Online Courses with Certificate |
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| Course Types | Skill Development Courses without Certificates |
| Course Levels | General Courses for any level of the Learner |
| Paid or Unpaid | Free Trial for 1 Month followed by Paid Membership |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Coordinators | Industry Experts, Subject Matter Experts, and Professionals |
| Trending Courses |
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#8 Udacity Online Courses
Udacity is another very useful learning platform which specializes in extending professional learning support through the online mode. The unique educational framework of Udacity provides students with nano degrees, which are courses of 3-4 months duration that provide a rigorous education to students in a specific domain.
The courses are offered to a variety of professional target audiences, including individual professionals, enterprises as well as companies. Being a professional learning platform, its courses are paid and specific to professional domains such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data sciences, cyber security, etc.
Find more details about the platform here:
Udacity |
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| Course Types | Certification and Nanodegree Programmes |
| Course Level | Professional Level Courses |
| Paid or Unpaid | Unpaid Free Access for 1 Month |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Partners |
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| Trending Courses |
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#9 Masterclass Online Courses
A unique online learning platform, Masterclass joins hands with celebrity figures to provide online courses to students in specific areas such as writing, food, arts and entertainment, science and tech, writing etc. This platform enables students to learn directly from professionals who have made it big in their careers.
This is a paid platform where students can take up various courses of 30 days duration, with an email of confirmation after successful completion of a course. The platform has over 150 courses for students based on monthly subscriptions. However, one limitation of this platform is that there is no certification provided to students after course completion.
The basic details of the platform are given here:
Masterclass Online Courses |
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| Course Type | Courses of 30 Days without Certification |
| Course Level | General, open to all |
| Paid or Unpaid | Paid Membership |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Partners | Famous Professionals Like
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| Trending Courses |
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#10 Unacademy Online Courses
Unacademy is an Indian online learning platform that has emerged to fame in the past few years. It specializes in providing students with free and paid training courses and coaching in academic and professional domains as well as entrance examinations.
Its most striking aspect is that it provides high-quality coaching and educational services to students at par with offline courses at nominal costs.
The details of the learning platform have been provided here:
Unacademy Online Courses |
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| Course Type |
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| Course Level |
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| Paid or Unpaid | Both Paid and Unpaid Courses |
| Course Areas |
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| Course Coordinators | Well-Qualified Faculty from Renowned Educational Institutions |
| Trending Courses |
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What Is An Online Course and Who Should Choose An Online Course?
Starting off, it is a good measure to acquaint oneself with what online education is before heading for an online course.
In the simplest words, online education refers to education that is delivered to learners through the use of online and virtual means. The course content is taught in an online course through the use of technological measures and electronic devices. Courses and lectures are made available to students through an internet portal and can be accessed by them through a mobile or computer device.
An online course can be covered through the use of prerecorded materials or through live interactive video sessions. The common modes of delivery in an online course include live lectures, recorded lectures, online assignments, case studies, digital learning materials such as pdfs, e-books, PPT presentations etc.
Online courses can be of variable durations and levels. Such courses are available for students at the school, graduation, or postgraduate levels. Short-term crash courses for working professionals are also available. Today, degrees, diplomas, and certification courses are available to pursue in online education mode.
So, after knowing what an online course is, the next question that arises is who should choose an online course and if an online course is the right choice for your education. So, here we have mentioned some of the situations where one can choose an online course.
There are no bars or restrictions as to who can opt for an online course. But online courses can be more suitable for some people than for others.
- Working Professionals: one of the major groups that opt for online courses in recent times are working professionals. Many professionals may be desirous of continuing their education and further studies but unable to do so due to professional obligations. In such a case, an online course is the most viable option. In a VUCA world (Volatile-Uncertain-Complex-Ambiguous), individuals who are already working need to constantly adapt and upskill themselves to keep pace with the professional advancements. In such a case, since taking a break in one’s career and then pursuing a skill development course may not be possible for many, an online course with certificate and degree becomes the most suitable option.
- Students at Remote Locations: in many cases, students residing in remote locations may be unable to physically relocate to a different city to pursue education. This is also relevant in the case of the recent lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic when many students were compelled to stay indoors and the only mode of education was through online means.
- Students Looking for Skill Development: students who are already pursuing a regular course or in school can also pursue online courses with certificates for simultaneous education and skill development. Students interested in learning more about some skills or areas of interest can also pursue various online courses to enhance themselves.
- Those Searching for Affordable Education: a larger section of the society can benefit from online courses, as these courses are comparatively more affordable than offline courses and can be taken up from students at more pocket-friendly rates. As we will list below, many online learning platforms in India also provide completely free-of-cost online courses which can also be taken up by students.
- Students Wishing to Pursue Dual Degrees: Students who wish to pursue dual degrees for greater academic excellence can also benefit much through the online courses as these allow more flexibility of learning, which can make pursuing two degrees simultaneously much more convenient.
Why Choose an Online Course? Major Pros of Online Courses
If you have recently started looking into the domain of online education, then there are vast areas for you to explore. Online courses offer many benefits to students.
But like any other mode of education, it also has some shortcomings. Read more to find the pros and cons of online courses. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose an online learning course for your education:
#1 Flexibility of Learning
One of the prime reasons for choosing an online course is the substantial flexibility of learning that online courses offer over offline regular courses. In an online course, the learning material can be accessed quite literally from anywhere at any time. Even in terms of rigid deadlines, examinations, assignments, and class schedules, online courses are much more flexible than offline courses. Many online courses do not require the learner to appear for any rigorous evaluation procedure for obtaining the course credential. There is considerable freedom given to students to choose their dates of examinations as well in many cases. So, one of the top reasons to go for online learning courses is the flexibility they provide in learning, which makes these courses better suited for a larger number of students.
#2 Affordable Education
Another factor contributing to the popularity of online courses is the lower and comparatively more affordable fee structure of online courses. Since many costs of education such as the need for infrastructure are cut down in the case of online education, these courses are offered to students at much lower fee rates. This helps students to opt for these courses in case they cannot afford full-time offline courses.
#3 Self-Paced Learning
A major domain where an online course excels ahead of an offline course is the self-paced learning that it facilitates. For many students, the major reservation against an offline regular course is the compulsion to progress at a rigid pace of learning. As opposed to this, in an online course, students have the benefit of being able to pursue the course at their own pace and time of convenience. With revisitable learning content available to students, they can learn at their own pace as well as seek clarifications from the teachers as and when they need. This additionally fosters habits of comprehensive self-study in students, a practice which can be helpful a long way ahead of the student.
#4 Greater Accessibility to Education
Online courses can be pursued by any student who has access to the internet and an electronic device (mobile phone/ laptop/ desktop/ tablet etc.). This minimal need for pursuing online courses makes education accessible to a larger section of society, one of the greatest advantages that the advent of online education has brought.
#5 Vast Number of Courses
A very large number of courses are offered today in the online mode, by renowned universities and well-qualified faculty. Students can find a large number of courses in various disciplines such as humanities, commerce, sciences, data sciences, business administration, business management and so on. Additionally, there are a large number of courses in areas of various professional skill development, hobbies, extracurricular activities etc. which can also be pursued by students online.
#7 Suitability for Working Professionals
The increased flexibility of learning and course schedule, lower fee structure, self-paced learning etc. make the online courses much more suitable for working professionals who want to pursue higher education or skill courses while continuing to work. So, online courses are a very convenient option for further education in the case of working professionals.
#8 Equal Value as Regular Course
Many students may be confused as to whether their online degree/diploma/certificate will actually be useful and valid for the future. To clarify this, according to the latest UGC guidelines, online courses are of equal value and importance if obtained from a credible source. So, added with all the major advantages, this ensures that the time, effort, and money that you invest in an online course is worth it, since it is equally valued in professional and academic spheres.
Should You Go for an Online Course? Major Cons of Online Courses
While it is true that an online education course offers many advantages to students, there are also some limitations of going in for an online course, which we have listed down below to help you form a balanced opinion:
#1 Lack of Face-to-Face Interaction
The biggest disadvantage of an online course according to popular opinion is that it lacks the human touch, in the sense that students lack the opportunity to engage in face-to-face interaction with the faculty and peers as in a typical classroom setting. Due to this, many students may feel that the online learning experience may not be as engaging as an offline learning experience. To overcome this limitation, many universities and colleges have started offering their online courses in a blended education mode where there is a balance between online and offline lectures
#2 Lower Practical Exposure
Since online courses cover the entire course curriculum through online means, there is little scope for students to actually gain practical exposure by performing or engaging in academia-related activities. As a result of this limitation, many types of courses, especially those requiring crucial practical application of learnt courses, cannot be covered in the online mode, e.g. full-time engineering courses, courses in the field of medicine, etc. Although many courses are striding ahead with the help of virtual labs and simulation facilities, the lack of actual physical practice is a limitation of the virtual courses.
#3 Lower Peer Interactions
Students in an online course cannot get as many opportunities for peer interactions and forming a peer network as in an offline course. This can be a shortcoming of the online courses as they do not allow students to get the same holistic educational experience with socialization as a regular offline course.
#4 Restricted Network and Points of Contact
In the highly competitive world today, forming a vast network of connections, points of contact as well as professional acquaintances is important for career enhancement and development. Forming a rapport with the faculty is also essential for effective guidance and mentorship. All these processes can get inhibited or restricted in an online educational environment, which can be a major setback for such courses. However, to counter this, many online education platforms allow students to engage in one-to-one interaction and individualized mentorship from faculties, they also provide interactive webinars with industry professionals to enable students to get the necessary professional exposure.
So, considering all the important factors, you can form a balanced opinion about whether an online course is indeed the best educational choice for you.
Trending Best Online Courses of 2024
Some of the best online courses in 2024 add to the essential professional and academic skills and knowledge of a student. Such courses are very highly demanded today because of their utility in professional and industrial domains.
Some of the most sought online courses today have been listed below:
Trending Best Online Courses In 2024 |
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| Data Science | Cybersecurity |
| Big Data | Business Analytics |
| Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence | Corporate Financing |
| Digital Marketing | Management Courses (BBA, MBA etc.) |
| Animation | Foreign Language |
| Graphic Designing | Computer Applications (BCA, MCA etc.) |
Top Online Universities In India Offering Online Degree Courses In 2023
Apart from online learning platforms that collaborate with universities, there are also a number of universities and educational institutions that offer full online courses independently.
Some of the top online universities of India offering degree courses in online or online-distance mode have been listed below:
Top Accredited Online Universities of India In India |
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| University | Location | Accreditations |
| IGNOU | Multiple Branches | UGC, UGC-DEB, AICTE, NAAC (A++) |
| D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth-Centre for Online Learning (DPU-COL) | Pune | UGC, NAAC, AICTE, ISO etc. |
| Amity Online University | Noida | UGC-DEB, NAAC (A+), AICTE, WES, AIU etc |
| LPU Online | Phagwara | UGC, AIU, NIRF |
| Manipal Online | Jaipur | UGC, NIRF, AICTE |
| Jain Online University | Bangalore | UGC-DEB, AICTE, NAAC, NIRF etc. |
| Hindustan University-Centre for Open and Digital Education (CODE) | Chennai | UGC, AICTE, NBA, NAAC, NIRF etc. |
We hope that the above blog was helpful to you in finding out more about online education and about the best platforms you can pursue courses from.
