Title of the initiative: Self-learning – Blended MOOCs by SWAYAM – NPTEL

1. Goal: SWAYAM is a program initiated by Govt. of India and designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality to take the best teaching learning resources to everyone.
2. Context: Self-learning using curated courses offered on SWAYAM-NPTEL platform instills “learning how to learn”. Also, to promote quality and accessibility, we encourage digital content and assessments leading to valid certification by SWAYAM-NPTEL. The interdisciplinary approach through Minors/Majors in UG-Engineering programs is supported by this initiative.

Courses on frontier/emerging engineering areas and employability-oriented skills are offered seamlessly without compromising the regular curriculum. The pandemic highlighted the need for alternative learning approaches, and blending MOOCs into mainstream education ensures continuity and quality. Credits earned can be deposited in the ABC repository and redeemed as per NEP 2020.

• Practice: The Mechanical Engineering Department provides students with information about MOOCs courses. If a course aligns with the curriculum, it is mapped to a relevant SWAYAM-NPTEL course. Faculty mentors are appointed for each course.

Asynchronous learning is complemented by face-to-face synchronous sessions. Students access video lectures and course handouts independently. In-classroom discussions and labs are conducted by faculty mentors to reinforce learning and develop higher-order thinking. Regular assignments, timely submissions, and certification encouragement are all integral to this practice.