Data Science and Artificial Intelligence are among the most in-demand skills today. Many top Indian institutes now offer online programs that allow students and working professionals to learn these skills without leaving their jobs. In 2026, make it your goal to start a data science course and earn a salary between ₹8 LPA and ₹40 LPA.
Here are the top 5 Data Science courses in India for 2026, explained in simple words, along with fees and duration.
1. IIT Delhi – Certificate Programme in Data Science & Machine Learning
Duration: 6 months
Mode: Online live classes
Fees: ₹1.25 – ₹1.50 lakh + GST
Simple explanation:
This course is good for people who want to start or grow their career in data science. You will learn how to work with data using Python, understand statistics, and build machine learning models. The course also introduces Generative AI.
Classes are taken live by IIT Delhi faculty, and you work on real-life projects.
Best for:
- Beginners and working professionals
- People who want strong basics with an IIT Delhi certificate
2. IIT Madras – Diploma in Data Science
Duration: Around 8 months
Mode: Online
Fees: Modular (pay per course; flexible total cost)
Simple explanation:
This is a diploma-level program where you pay for each subject separately. You can study at your own pace. The course teaches programming, statistics, and machine learning step by step.
It is flexible and suitable for students as well as working professionals.
Best for:
- Students and fresh graduates
- Learners who want a structured diploma at a lower initial cost
3. IIT Roorkee – PG Certificate in Data Science, Machine Learning & Generative AI
Duration: About 8 months
Mode: Online (live + recorded)
Fees: Around ₹1.49 lakh
Simple explanation:
This is a slightly advanced course that goes deeper into machine learning and Generative AI. You will learn how AI models work, how to handle large data, and how to build real projects from start to end.
It is more detailed than short courses and includes a final capstone project.
Best for:
- Professionals with some technical background
- Those who want deeper AI and ML knowledge
4. IIT Kanpur (E&ICT Academy) – Professional Certificate in Generative AI & Machine Learning
Duration: About 11 months
Mode: Online
Fees: Around ₹1.53 lakh
Simple explanation:
This course focuses strongly on AI, especially Generative AI, NLP, and computer vision. The longer duration gives you more time to practice coding and projects.
You will learn how AI models are trained and used in real products like chatbots and image systems.
Best for:
- Developers and engineers
- Learners who want a strong hands-on AI experience
5. IIM Kozhikode – Professional Certificate in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
Duration: About 8 months
Mode: Online
Fees: ₹1.79 – ₹2.15 lakh + GST
Simple explanation:
This course is designed for managers and business professionals. It explains data science in a way that helps you make better business decisions. You will learn what data science can do for companies, even if you are not a hardcore coder.
Technical concepts are explained in a business-friendly way.
Best for:
- Managers, team leads, and decision-makers
- Professionals moving into analytics leadership roles