Enrolling to SWAYAM courses is completely free of cost; however, learners have to pay a minimal exam fee which is Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000, to get their SWAYAM certificate after qualifying the NTA SWAYAM semester exam. For students and working professionals, understanding the National Testing Agency (NTA) SWAYAM fee structure is essential to plan budgets, claim academic credits and make informed decisions about optional certified assessments.
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This article explains current fee slabs, concession categories, multi-course discounts, payment modes, refund policies and certificate delivery timelines. It also compares SWAYAM's proctored exam charges across national coordinators such as NPTEL, UGC and AICTE, outlines NAD verification and cost implications for employers and universities, and provides practical tips for budget-conscious learners effectively.
Particulars | Details |
---|---|
Study Cost | Most SWAYAM course content is free to access |
SWAYAM Certification Cost | To obtain an official SWAYAM certificate, candidates must register for and pay for the proctored final exam; fees vary by session and category |
Typical Fee Slab | General - Rs. 750 (first course) / Rs. 600 (subsequent per course); OBC/SC/ST/PwD - Rs. 500 (first) / Rs. 400 (subsequent) |
Some national coordinators (e.g. NPTEL) charge ~Rs. 1,000 per course for in-person proctored exams.
NTA announces exact fees in each SWAYAM information bulletin for the semester. Check the table below to check the recent SWAYAM fees.
Category | Fee for one course | Fee for additional courses (per course) |
---|---|---|
General / Unreserved | Rs. 750 | Rs. 600 |
Gen-EWS / OBC (NCL) / SC / ST / PwD | Rs. 500 | Rs. 400 |
NPTEL (Engineering/technical streams) offers optional in-person proctored certification exams at ~Rs. 1,000 per course (some short courses/bootcamps may differ). Learners who take NPTEL courses through SWAYAM should check the NPTEL course page for the exact proctored-exam charge.
UGC / AICTE / Other National Coordinators: Fee amounts and certificate formats can vary; some courses may have slightly higher or lower admin charges depending on the issuing institution and the exam mode. It is advised to check the course page on SWAYAM and the NTA information bulletin.
Candidates are required to pay for SWAYAM exam fees in online mode only. Payments for NTA SWAYAM registration are typically accepted via net banking, debit/credit card, UPI and wallets. Students must keep the payment receipt and transaction ID this is proof for application completion.
Concessions and Eligibility for Reduced Fees: Concession categories typically include Gen-EWS, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), SC, ST and PwD. Concession rules and document requirements (e.g. caste/PwD certificates) are mentioned in the NTA information bulletin for each SWAYAM semester.
Refunds, Corrections and Cancellation Policy: Application form is considered complete only after payment; the NTA bulletin lists deadlines for fee submission and form corrections. No request for refund of fee once remitted by the candidate will be entertained by NTA under any circumstances.
NTA’s instructions include strict rules about submitting only one application per candidate per course. Multiple applications may be rejected.
The confirmation page of your online application will appear only after your payment is successful. If it does not appear even after you’ve paid, first check with your bank or payment gateway. If the transaction still is not reflected on the portal, you can contact the NTA Help desk. If the issue remains unresolved, you may pay the fee again. Any duplicate payment will be refunded by NTA through the same payment method after reconciliation.
Candidates appearing for SWAYAM July semester exam can check the payment of exam fee – procedure/ mode / service provider(s) and services charges in the table below.
Sr.No | Mode of Payment | CANARA BANK | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Net Banking | Other Banks (Including Canara Bank) | Rs.13 + GST | |
HDFC, ICICI, SBI, AXIS | Rs.17 + GST | |||
2 | Debit Cards | Visa/ Master | Transaction up to Rs.2000/- 01.40% + GST | |
Transaction above Rs.2000/- 0.85% + GST | ||||
Rupay | NIL Charge | |||
3 | Credit Cards | Domestic | 1.10% + GST | |
4 | Unified Payment Interface (UPI) | NIL Charge |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Certificates are issued by recognised National Coordinators and participating institutions; many employers and universities accept these for professional upskilling and credit transfer, but acceptance policies vary with the target employer/university.
Refund/cancellation policies are described in the relevant NTA bulletin; generally there are strict rules and narrow windows for corrections, retain receipts and follow the published timelines.
Some NPTEL proctored exams have historically charged about Rs. 1,000 per course; verify on the specific NPTEL/SWAYAM course page.
Fees vary by semester and category, but recent NTA practice shows approximately Rs. 750 for the first course (general) and Rs. 600 for additional courses; concession categories have lower rates (e.g. Rs. 500/Rs. 400). Check the current NTA information bulletin for exact figures.
Course content is free to access. A fee applies only if you opt to appear in the proctored final exam and receive an official certificate.