The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), a project funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) was first conceived in 1999 to pave the way for introducing multimedia and web technology to enhance learning of basic science and engineering concepts. Significant infrastructure has been set up earlier for production of video/web-based teaching material by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and Technical Teacher Training Institutes (TTTI).

The broad aim of the project NPTEL is to facilitate the competitiveness of Indian industry in the global markets through improving the quality and reach of engineering education. The operational objective of NPTEL is to make high quality learning material available to students of engineering institutions across the country by exploiting the advances in information and communication technology. The target group for this project consists of students and faculty of institutions offering undergraduate engineering programmes in India.

NPTEL provides E-learning through online Web and Video courses in Engineering, Science and humanities streams. The mission of NPTEL is to enhance the quality of engineering education in the country by providing free online courseware.

In the first phase of the NPTEL project, IITG has developed 05 video courses and 15 web courses and in the second phase, IITG has developed 16 video courses and 64 web courses.