Kajal Khapre
In a world where learning no longer stops at the classroom door, Kajal Khapre turned curiosity into capability, earning four Silver Star certifications through NPTEL and securing an internship at IIT Roorkee.
Kajal started NPTEL because she wanted to go beyond what her regular college curriculum offered. The platform gave her access to lectures by faculty from some of the country’s top institutions, but managing college classes, assignments, internal exams, and NPTEL coursework together was not always easy. There were days when deadlines overlapped and concepts felt difficult to grasp. Still, she kept going. For her, it was never limited to collecting certificates; it was about becoming an independent, self-directed learner who could understand a subject at her own pace.
What began as an effort to learn outside the classroom slowly became a routine. Kajal learned how to plan her week, divide her time between academics and NPTEL courses, and stay consistent even when motivation dipped.
Some topics required extra reading, repeated revision, and a lot of patience. Instead of rushing through lectures, she made it a habit to revisit difficult sections, take notes, and solve assignments carefully.
Eventually, she became more comfortable with technical subjects and confident in her ability to learn something new without waiting for external guidance at every step.
She earned Silver Star certification in four courses: ‘Electronic System Design’, ‘Introduction to IoT’, ‘Introduction to Industrial IoT 4.0’, and ‘Waste to Energy Conversion’. She also completed ‘Programming in Modern C++’, further strengthening her technical foundation and adding a valuable programming skill to her profile.
When she learned about the NPTEL internship opportunity, she applied by fulfilling the required eligibility criteria and submitting the necessary documents. After the selection process, she received an internship offer from IIT Roorkee where she will be involved in a project based on waste-to-energy conversion. “I see this internship as an opportunity to gain practical exposure and learn more about Waste-to-Energy Conversion.”
Her internship therefore became a natural extension of her NPTEL learning. The whole experience strengthened her understanding of IoT, electronic systems, and sustainable energy by showing her how technology and research can support practical solutions.
It allowed her to move from studying these concepts online to observing how they are explored, tested, and applied in a real research environment. It also gave her a clearer sense of the kind of work she wants to pursue in the future, work that combines technical learning, sustainability, and real-world impact.
Sharing her thoughts on NPTEL, she says, “Whether you’re a student, faculty member, or just someone eager to learn, take up NPTEL courses. It’s one of the best platforms of our time, with expert-led courses that open doors no matter your background.”
Four Silver Stars and an IIT internship are milestones, not the finish line. Kajal plans to keep exploring new subjects, deepen her technical knowledge, and take on bigger challenges – proving that when curiosity meets consistency, learning becomes a launchpad.
~written by Khadija Hussain
