11 Free IIT Data Science & Analytics Courses to Enroll Before Jan 26, 2026
11 Free IIT Data Science and Analytics Courses You Can Enroll In Before January 26, 2026
If you are planning to upgrade your data science skills in 2026, the latest NPTEL course lineup from India’s premier IITs is exactly what you need. These courses cover essential areas of modern analytics—Python, R, DBMS, Graph Theory, Bayesian Modelling, Data Mining, Big Data Statistics, and more.
The best part: all these IIT courses are completely free to learn.
You only pay if you choose to take the optional certification exam
Below is a detailed guide to the top 11 free IIT Data Science and Analytics courses starting in January–February 2026, along with prerequisites, faculty details, exam timelines, and industry relevance.
Algorithmic Graph Theory and Data Structures (IIT Kharagpur)
Instructor: Prof. Sourav Mukhopadhyay
Credits: 3
Duration: 19 Jan – 10 Apr 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 19 Apr 2026
This course builds a strong mathematical foundation for graph algorithms, optimization, and network analysis. Learners gain a deep understanding of data structures, greedy strategies, and dynamic programming, which are critical for scalable data solutions.
Best for: Computer Science and data algorithm learners
Prerequisites: Graph theory, data structures, probability
Industry support: DRDO, ISRO, NTRO, SAG, WESEE, Stratign FZE
Registration Link - Algorithmic Graph Theory and Data Structures Course
Bayesian Data Analysis for Behavioral Sciences (IIT Kanpur)
Instructor: Prof. Himanshu Yadav
Credits: 3
Duration: 19 Jan – 10 Apr 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 24 Apr 2026
A perfect introduction to Bayesian inference, especially for those working with behavioural or psychological datasets. Students learn Bayesian thinking, probabilistic modelling, and R-based analysis.
Best for: Data science, psychology, behavioural analytics
Prerequisites: Basic R, Class 12 mathematics
Registration Link - Bayesian Data Analysis for Behavioral Sciences
Data Analytics with Python (IIT Roorkee)
Instructor: Prof. A. Ramesh
Credits: 3
Duration: 19 Jan – 10 Apr 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 19 Apr 2026
One of NPTEL’s most enrolled courses, this program focuses on Python-based analytics through case studies from finance, marketing, operations, and manufacturing.
Best for: Management, Industrial Engineering, CSE
Prerequisites: Basic Python (recommended but optional)
Registration Link - Data Analytics with Python
Database Management System (IIT Kharagpur)
Instructors: Prof. Partha Pratim Das & Prof. Samiran Chattopadhyay
Credits: 2
Duration: 19 Jan – 13 Mar 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 29 Mar 2026
A foundational DBMS course covering SQL, normalization, data modelling, file organization, and query optimization. Includes hands-on MySQL practice.
Best for: Students of any discipline
Prerequisites: Programming + data structures
Registration Link - Database Management System
Data Mining (IIT Kharagpur)
Instructor: Prof. Pabitra Mitra
Credits: 2
Duration: 19 Jan – 13 Mar 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 29 Mar 2026
A beginner-friendly course that teaches classification, clustering, association rules, preprocessing, and visualization with real industry examples.
Best for: Engineering, physics, mathematics students
Registration Link - Data Mining
Data Mining for Decision Making (IIT Mandi)
Instructor: Prof. Varun Dutt
Credits: 1
Duration: 16 Feb – 13 Mar 2026
A short, application-driven course using decision trees, PCA, regression, clustering, and neural networks. Includes practical assignments and a mini project.
Best for: CSE, ECE, data science learners
Enrollment ends: 16 Feb 2026
Exam registration ends: 27 Feb 2026
Exam date: 25 Apr 2026
Registration Link - Data Mining for Decision Making
Data Science for Engineers (IIT Madras)
Instructors: Prof. Rengasamy & Prof. Shankar Narasimhan
Credits: 2
Duration: 19 Jan – 13 Mar 2026
An introductory R-programming-based course covering statistical foundations, algorithms, and full data science workflows.
Best for: All engineering students
Prerequisites: Basic R (pre-training provided)
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 28 Mar 2026
Registration Link - Data Science for Engineers
Exploratory Data Analysis for Data Science with R (IIT Kanpur)
Instructor: Prof. Shalabh
Credits: 3
Duration: 19 Jan – 10 Apr 2026
Focuses on statistical reasoning and visualization using R. Ideal for students preparing for analytics-heavy roles.
Best for: UG students in maths, engineering, management
Prerequisites: Class 10 mathematics
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 25 Apr 2026
Registration Link - Exploratory Data Analysis for Data Science with R
Introduction to Database Systems (IIT Madras)
Instructor: Prof. Sreenivasa Kumar
Credits: 3
Duration: 19 Jan – 10 Apr 2026
This course covers SQL, relational algebra, query planning, indexing, concurrency control, and transaction management—essential for backend development.
Best for: BTech CSE students
Prerequisites: Discrete structures, programming
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 17 Apr 2026
Registration Link - Introduction to Database Systems
Python for Data Science (IIT Madras)
Instructor: Prof. Ragunathan Rengasamy
Credits: 1
Duration: 19 Jan – 13 Feb 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 28 Mar 2026
Designed for final-year students working toward analytics roles. Covers efficient implementation of data workflows using Python.
Prerequisites: Basic data science algorithms
Registration Link - Python for Data Science
Statistical Foundation for Big Data Analysis (IIT Kharagpur)
Instructor: Prof. Arindam Banerjee
Credits: 3
Duration: 19 Jan – 10 Apr 2026
Enrollment ends: 26 Jan 2026
Exam registration ends: 13 Feb 2026
Exam date: 19 Apr 2026
A deeper statistical course that spans inference, multivariate analysis, PCA, bias-variance tradeoff, dimensionality reduction, and social network analytics.
Best for: Senior UG/PG students in AI, ML, Data Science
Prerequisites: Linear algebra, probability
Registration Link - Statistical Foundation for Big Data Analysis
Are All IIT Data Science Courses Free?
Yes. Every course listed above is 100% free to learn on NPTEL.
Students only pay for:
- The optional certification exam
- Printed certificates (if required)
