Parul University Online ESG Certificate: ₹20,000, 6 Months

Parul University Online's ESG and Sustainability Certificate: ₹20,000, Six Months, Class 12 Pass (2026-27)

Since FY 2022-23, India's top 1,000 listed companies have had to file a sustainability report with SEBI. Somebody at each of those companies has to gather the data. Parul University Online sells a six-month ESG certificate for ₹20,000 that points at exactly that kind of work. Below: fees, eligibility, what you'd study, what I couldn't verify, and how to apply for the January 2027 intake.

What is Parul University Online's ESG and Sustainability Certificate Course?

The Certificate Program in ESG and Sustainability is run by Parul University Online in Vadodara. It lasts six months, mixes live and recorded sessions, and costs ₹20,000 in total, according to the official program page. Parul also bundles two free certificates: Excel for Beginners and ChatGPT.

What does it cost, really?

₹20,000 works out to roughly ₹3,333 a month over the six months. That is the figure on Parul's page and ₹500 for registration. lso ask whether exam fees are extra and whether you can pay in instalments.

Parul's page mentions a 30% scholarship for learners who move on to a dual-degree route (Diploma in Computer Applications and Business Management, or Diploma in Digital Marketing).

Is there a government subsidy?

I have looked for PMKVY, the National Scholarship Portal and similar schemes tied to this certificate and found nothing in the sources. If a counsellor says one applies, ask for the scheme name and the official portal link.

Who can join?

Anyone who has cleared Class 12 or an equivalent exam from a recognised board. University pitches the course at working professionals, business and management students, business owners, and people who want to move into responsible business.

What will you study?

Parul describes the program as covering the basics of environmental, social and governance principles and how organisations apply them. Topics include climate change and its business impact, India's and global ESG reporting standards, net zero, and greenhouse gas emissions. By the end, you should be able to explain ESG, analyse case studies, judge how ESG affects investment decisions, and draft ways to build it into supply chains and governance.

Why would an employer care about ESG skills?

Because reporting is now a legal chore. SEBI requires the top 1,000 listed companies to file the BRSR, and assurance on its core metrics reaches all 1,000 in FY 2026-27. The timeline comes from a SEBI circular dated 12 July 2023

Smaller firms feel it too. Unlisted businesses meet BRSR indirectly as suppliers and customers of listed companies that collect value-chain data. If you supply a listed buyer, expect the questionnaires.

India's wider targets sit behind all this: net zero by 2070, and for 2030 the Panchamrit goals of 500 GW non-fossil capacity and a 45% cut in the carbon intensity of GDP, as Parul's own sustainability blog lays out. The government's LiFE Mission covers daily habits.

Does Parul practise what it teaches?

On campus, yes, at least on paper. The university has rooftop solar at the maximum permitted capacity plus a separate 0.6 MW solar plant, and it is phasing out single-use plastic drinking bottles. A Centre for Sustainability and ESG keeps the records.

In July 2026 it also ran the Global Discovery Program, a two-week summer school where 13 students from Vietnam, Russia, the UK and Morocco worked through the UN Sustainable Development Goals. None of this is part of the online certificate.

Is it worth the money?

For some people, yes. A BBA or MBA student gets a concrete ESG line on a résumé. A finance or operations manager about to receive ESG data requests gets the vocabulary. An owner-manager selling to listed companies learns what the buyer's reporting team wants.

I'd also be straight about the limits. Parul publishes no placement or salary figures for this program, so I won't invent any. Six months of coursework teaches frameworks; it won't stand in for years of assurance or reporting experience. And Parul's page lists NAAC A++ accreditation for the university, but if you need the certificate recognised by an employer or another institution, get that confirmed in writing

How do you apply?

• Check that you have passed Class 12 or an equivalent.

• Aim for the January 2027 intake.

• Hit "Apply Now".

• Pay the confirmed ₹20,500 fee.

• Start the sessions and claim your two free certificates.

Where do you want to end up?

ESG reporting, climate strategy and supply-chain compliance are three quite different jobs. Which one are you aiming for? Tell me in the comments, and pass this to anyone choosing a course for 2027.