Perceived Relevance of Swayam Courses to University Curriculum and Student Outcomes in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

India’s SWAYAM platform seeks to democratize access to quality higher education through MOOCs aligned with university curricula and credit transfer. Despite rapid adoption, little evidence exists on how students in Tamil Nadu perceive SWAYAM’s curricular relevance and its effect on outcomes. This study surveyed 500 students using odd-numbered Likert items to assess Perceived Relevance (PRI), Institutional Support (ISI), Digital Readiness (DRI), and Student Outcomes (SOI). Four hypotheses were tested: correlation between PRI and SOI, SOI differences by usage intensity, PRI variation across disciplines, and PRI’s predictive validity beyond ISI, DRI, and controls. Reliability was strong (α = 0.93–0.96). Results revealed a significant positive PRI–SOI correlation (r = 0.603), higher SOI among frequent users (t = 15.18, p < .001), no disciplinary differences (F = 0.08, p = .989), and a robust regression model with all predictors significant. Findings highlight curricular relevance, institutional support, and digital readiness as key drivers,
urging stronger credit transfer and inclusive integration.