- Pick the module by scheme and segment, not by price first.
- Question 1: does the scheme require domestic content? If yes, you need a DCR module.
- Question 2: does the project require an ALMM-enlisted model? Non-DCR is not the same as non-ALMM.
- Private C&I with no subsidy is often the most flexible — non-DCR or imported may fit.
- Re-check the List-II cell mandate (reported ~1 Jun 2026) and all applicability against the current MNRE order.
Most sourcing mistakes are not bad prices — they are the wrong module on the wrong job. This worksheet gives you one path to the right call every time. Answer four questions in order, read the decision table, then sense-check against a worked example like yours.
How to use this worksheet
Use this worksheet at the quoting stage, before you commit a single purchase order. The order of the questions matters: the scheme decides DCR, then ALMM applicability, then cost and lead time. Work top to bottom and you will not buy a non-DCR module for a DCR job — the error that quietly voids a subsidy.
This is a static guide, not a calculator. It does not store your numbers or give a price. Its job is to make the compliance choice clear, so your cost work happens on the right module type. Treat every rule and date here as point-in-time and verify against the current MNRE order.
DCR, non-DCR or imported — the three paths
There are three practical sourcing paths, and each fits a different kind of job. Knowing what each one proves is the start of the decision.
DCR module
A DCR module has its cells and module made in India and is proven by a NISE DCR certificate. You need it where the scheme requires domestic content — most clearly the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy. DCR modules usually cost more and can have tighter supply, so you only use them where the scheme demands it.
Non-DCR module
A non-DCR module does not carry the domestic-content proof. It may still be on ALMM and perfectly usable for many private commercial jobs and some other segments. Non-DCR is not the same as non-ALMM — a non-DCR module can be ALMM-enlisted. That difference trips up a lot of buyers.
Imported module
An imported module can be the cheapest per watt but carries duty, BIS and ALMM questions. It fits the most flexible jobs — fully private, off-grid, or segments where ALMM and DCR do not apply. Check our import and customs guide before you go this route.
The four questions that set the answer
Answer these four in order. The first that returns a hard requirement usually settles the module type.
Does the scheme require domestic content?
If yes — for example the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy — you need a DCR module with a NISE certificate. This answer alone often ends the decision. Verify the current requirement on the scheme portal.
Does the project require an ALMM-enlisted model?
Many government-linked, subsidy and net-metering jobs require an ALMM model. Check this even for non-DCR jobs, because ALMM and DCR are separate rules.
What does the List-II cell mandate add?
The List-II cell mandate can push domestic content down to the cell. Its trigger (reported ~1 Jun 2026) faced deferment and court proceedings — confirm the live status in the latest MNRE order before a long order.
What are the lead time and cost?
Only after the compliance answers do cost and lead time decide between the modules that are still allowed. Never let price pull you onto a non-compliant module.
The decision table by scheme and segment
Match your job to a row, read the typical module choice, and note the verify step. This is a starting point, not a ruling — applicability shifts by DISCOM, segment and the current MNRE order.
Source: MNRE applicability practice as understood on 20 Jun 2026. All rows are point-in-time — verify the current rule for your scheme, segment and DISCOM.
Three worked examples
Example 1 — a residential rooftop under PM Surya Ghar
Question 1: the scheme requires domestic content, so you need a DCR module with a NISE certificate. That answer ends the decision — you source a DCR module that is also ALMM-enlisted. You do not compare a cheaper non-DCR module, because it would void the subsidy. Lead time and price now choose between DCR modules only. Verify the live DCR requirement on the scheme portal.
Example 2 — a 200 kW private factory rooftop, no subsidy
Question 1: no domestic-content scheme applies, so DCR is not required. Question 2: check whether the project needs an ALMM-enlisted model at net metering for your DISCOM and segment — it may. If ALMM applies, you source an ALMM-enlisted non-DCR module; if not, you have the widest choice. Cost and lead time then decide. Verify ALMM applicability for the DISCOM.
Example 3 — a C&I open-access project
Question 1: usually no DCR requirement. Question 2: applicability is often more flexible for open access, and exemption windows may apply. Confirm any cell or wafer exemption against the latest MNRE order before you lock the module. See our open-access guide for the detail. Here imported modules may be on the table, subject to duty and BIS.
Putting cost on the choice
Only once the compliance answer narrows the field do you compare cost. Compare on landed cost per watt, not the headline price — for imported modules that means after duty, freight and clearing. A DCR module usually carries a premium, which is the price of being allowed on a subsidy job, not an avoidable cost. Our price-per-watt breakdown shows how the gap stacks up. Treat any number you see as point-in-time and re-quote.
Lead time and supply risk
Compliance choices change supply risk. DCR modules and enlisted-cell modules can have tighter supply, especially when a mandate date approaches and everyone buys at once. Build lead time into the decision: a compliant module you cannot get in time is no use. If a domestic cell is scarce, that risk should shape your order timing and your buffer stock.
Sourcing mistakes to avoid
- Treating non-DCR as non-ALMM — a non-DCR module can still be required to be ALMM-enlisted.
- Buying on price before compliance — the cheapest module is worthless on a job it cannot legally serve.
- Assuming a mandate date is settled — the List-II trigger faced deferment and court action; verify it.
- Not checking the exact model — ALMM and DCR attach to the exact model and certificate, not the brand.
- Forgetting duty on imports — landed cost, not export price, is the real comparison.
How SuryaHub turns this worksheet into a control
A worksheet helps once; a system helps every time. SuryaHub can tie each project scheme and segment to a required module type in procurement and inventory, then check the BOM against that rule before you order — so a non-DCR module never lands on a DCR job and a non-ALMM model never reaches an ALMM project. It carries the same rule into the net-metering and subsidy workflow. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; the only real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and applicability rules change, so verify against the current MNRE order.
Make the right module the default
See how SuryaHub checks every BOM against the scheme rule.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How do I decide between DCR, non-DCR and imported modules?+
To decide between DCR, non-DCR and imported modules, start with the scheme: if it requires domestic content, you need a DCR module with a NISE certificate. If it only requires ALMM, an enlisted non-DCR module may fit. If neither applies, imported or non-DCR can work. Verify the current applicability rules for your scheme and segment before you order.
When must I use a DCR module?+
You must use a DCR module where the scheme requires domestic content, most clearly the PM Surya Ghar residential subsidy. A DCR module has its cells and module made in India and is proven by a NISE DCR certificate. Verify the current DCR requirement on the scheme portal, because applicability and the rules around it are revised over time.
Can I use non-DCR modules for commercial solar projects?+
You can often use non-DCR modules for private commercial projects that do not require domestic content, though ALMM may still apply at net metering depending on the segment and DISCOM. Non-DCR is not the same as non-ALMM. Verify whether the project requires an ALMM-enlisted model before you assume a non-DCR module is enough.
Does the List-II cell mandate change my sourcing choice?+
The List-II cell mandate can change your sourcing choice because it pushes domestic content down to the cell, so a module may need cells from an enlisted Indian maker. The trigger date, reported around 1 June 2026, faced deferment requests and court proceedings, so confirm whether it was deferred in the latest MNRE order before you plan a long order.
What is the first question in a module sourcing decision?+
The first question in a module sourcing decision is whether the scheme requires domestic content, because that single answer rules DCR in or out. After that you check whether the project needs an ALMM-enlisted model, then lead time and cost. Answer the scheme question first, since getting it wrong can void a subsidy or get a project rejected.
How does SuryaHub help with module sourcing decisions?+
SuryaHub can tie each project scheme and segment to a required module type, then check the BOM against that rule before you order, so a non-DCR module never goes onto a DCR job. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; the only real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and applicability rules change, so verify against the current MNRE order.
Sources & references
Applicability, the DCR requirement and the List-II timing come from MNRE and the NISE DCR portal. Applicability shifts by scheme, segment and DISCOM, and the List-II date is litigated — verify against the current MNRE order before you commit an order.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
The ALMM applicability orders and the List-II cell-mandate timing.
- NISE DCR portal ↗
The official portal for generating and verifying DCR certificates.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Where DCR is required for the residential subsidy.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MNRE & NISE sources · updated 20 June 2026.
Method: The decision logic follows MNRE applicability rules and the List-II cell-mandate timing and is re-checked regularly. The 1 Jun 2026 List-II trigger and the private-C&I exemption are point-in-time and litigated — verify against the latest MNRE applicability order. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 20 Jun 2026 — first published.