- DCR means Indian-made cells and modules — no imported cells or modules.
- ALMM List-I approves modules; ALMM List-II approves cells.
- PM-KUSUM tenders can check DCR, List-I and List-II all at once.
- The 31 March 2024 Component-C cutoff and the post-1 June 2026 cell mandate are volatile and litigated — confirm against the latest MNRE office memorandum.
- Wrong or unlisted goods get a bid disqualified at the supply check.
In PM-KUSUM, the modules and cells you buy can make or break a bid. The Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) and the ALMM lists decide what counts as a valid supply. Get the sourcing right and your bid clears the supply check. Get it wrong and the tender throws it out.
What does DCR mean in PM-KUSUM?
DCR means the Domestic Content Requirement — your solar cells and modules must be made in India. It is a rule that protects local manufacturing. In a DCR tender, imported cells or imported modules are not allowed, even if they are cheaper or faster to get.
Cells and modules, not just modules
A common mistake is to think DCR covers only the finished module. Strict DCR can ask that both the solar cell and the module are Indian-made. A module assembled in India from imported cells may fail a strict DCR clause. Read the exact wording in each tender.
Why DCR exists in agri-solar
PM-KUSUM uses public money to put solar on farms. The government wants that spend to build Indian factories and jobs. So most PM-KUSUM tenders, like other government solar schemes, carry a DCR clause. Treat DCR as the default, not the exception.
What is ALMM, and what is List-I versus List-II?
ALMM is the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers. It is a government-maintained list of solar products and makers that are checked and approved. If a product is not on the list, a government tender cannot accept it.
List-I is modules; List-II is cells
ALMM List-I covers solar modules and their makers. ALMM List-II covers solar cells and their makers. The two lists are separate. A module can be on List-I while its cells are not yet covered by List-II, so you must check the right list for the right part.
How the lists work in practice
Each approved product has a model number on the list. Your supplier should give you that exact model number. You quote it in your bid and the tender team checks it against the live list. If the model is missing, suspended or de-listed, the supply fails.
Why do both DCR and ALMM matter for KUSUM tenders?
Both matter because they check different things, and PM-KUSUM tenders often check them together. DCR asks where the goods are made. ALMM asks which models are approved. You can pass one and still fail the other.
Picture a module made in India but not on ALMM List-I. It passes DCR but fails ALMM. Now picture an approved imported module on a foreign list — it fails DCR. In a PM-KUSUM tender, you must satisfy DCR and the relevant ALMM list at the same time.
The cell layer adds a third check
Once the cell mandate applies, a third check appears: the cell inside the module must be on ALMM List-II. So a single module may need to clear DCR, List-I and List-II together. The exact timing of the cell mandate is volatile, which we cover below.
PM-KUSUM DCR and ALMM compliance matrix
The table below maps the main checks across PM-KUSUM Components A, B and C. Every date is volatile — confirm against the latest MNRE office memorandum. Use this as a planning starting point, not a final rule. Read the live tender for the exact clauses.
Source: MNRE DCR and ALMM office memorandums and SECI model tenders (mnre.gov.in). All dates and rules are estimates — verify with the live tender and the latest MNRE order.
What are the cutoff dates, and why are they volatile?
EPCs hear two dates a lot. First, the 31 March 2024 Component-C Letter of Award (LoA) cutoff, said to split older DCR and ALMM rules from newer ones. Second, the post-1 June 2026 point when ALMM List-II and a domestic-cell mandate are said to apply. Both dates are volatile and litigated.
This is volatile and litigated — confirm against the latest MNRE office memorandum. Court cases, "no relaxation" notices and fresh memos have moved these dates before. Do not lock procurement to any cutoff you read here. Treat each date as an estimate and check the latest MNRE order before you order goods.
Plan for the stricter case
Because the dates can move toward stricter rules, plan for the harder case. Assume you may need Indian cells on ALMM List-II for new awards. If the rule is softer when you bid, you lose nothing. If it is stricter and you assumed soft, you can lose the whole supply.
How do DCR and ALMM change procurement?
They change procurement in three ways: price, lead time and supplier choice. DCR and ALMM goods cost more and take longer than open-market imports, and fewer suppliers can sell them. You must price and plan for all three.
Price
DCR and ALMM-listed modules usually cost more than imported ones. The approved, Indian-made supply is a smaller pool, so prices stay firm. Build the higher module cost into your bid, or your margin disappears at delivery.
Lead time
Approved Indian factories can have long order books. A model on the list today can have a queue of weeks or months. Confirm the lead time in writing before you commit to a tender timeline, because late supply can trigger penalties.
Supplier choice
DCR plus ALMM narrows your supplier list a lot. You need a maker who is on the right list and can prove Indian content. Keep two or three approved suppliers ready, so one de-listing does not stop your project.
How do you prove DCR and ALMM compliance?
You prove it with documents the maker gives you: a DCR certificate, the ALMM List-I model number for the module, and the ALMM List-II model number for the cell once required. The tender team checks these at the supply stage.
- DCR certificate — from the maker, stating Indian cells and modules.
- ALMM List-I model number — the exact module model on the live list.
- ALMM List-II model number — the exact cell model, once the cell mandate applies.
- Datasheet and test reports — to match the spec the tender requires.
- Invoices and purchase records — to trace the goods back to the approved maker.
Match every model number to the live ALMM list on the day you submit. A model can be suspended between your quote and your bid. Our MNRE technical specification guide covers the spec side that sits next to these checks.
What disqualifies a PM-KUSUM bid?
A bid is disqualified when the goods do not match DCR or ALMM rules at the supply check. The most common cause is sourcing the wrong product, or quoting a model that is not on the live list.
- Imported cells or modules in a DCR tender — fails the content rule.
- Unlisted module — the model is not on ALMM List-I.
- Unlisted or imported cell — the cell fails List-II once the cell mandate applies.
- Suspended or de-listed model — approved when quoted, removed by submission day.
- Missing proof — no DCR certificate or no model number at the supply check.
A single wrong line item can void the supply. Check the ALMM portal again on bid day, and keep a backup approved model in case your first choice is suspended.
What is a safe DCR and ALMM sourcing strategy?
A safe strategy is to lock approved, Indian-made supply early, keep backups, and re-check the lists on bid day. You plan for the stricter rule and you never assume a date is final.
Lock supply before you bid
Get written confirmation of the ALMM model number, the DCR certificate and the lead time before you submit. A verbal promise is not proof. The DCR module sourcing guide goes deeper on picking modules for pump work.
Keep two approved suppliers
List risk is real. Models get suspended. Carry at least two approved suppliers per project, so a de-listing does not stall delivery. The approved pump brands guide helps you shortlist makers for Component B and C work.
Re-check on bid day
Lists change without notice. Re-check every model number against the live ALMM list on the day you submit. For Component C feeder work, our Component C feeder solarisation guide shows where these checks fit the wider scope.
How SuryaHub helps you stay compliant
Compliance fails when proof goes missing at the supply check. SuryaHub keeps your ALMM model numbers, DCR certificates and supplier documents in one procurement and inventory record per tender, so the right proof is ready when the tender team asks. You see which model is locked, which supplier backs it up, and which document is still open. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and every rule here is an estimate to verify against the latest MNRE order.
Keep every compliance proof in one place
See how SuryaHub tracks ALMM models, DCR certificates and suppliers per tender.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is DCR in PM-KUSUM?+
DCR, the Domestic Content Requirement, means PM-KUSUM supplies must use solar cells and modules made in India, not imported ones. DCR protects local manufacturing. An EPC that ships imported cells or modules into a DCR tender fails the supply check, so confirm the exact DCR wording in every tender.
What is the difference between ALMM List-I and List-II?+
ALMM List-I is the approved list of solar modules and their makers. ALMM List-II is the approved list of solar cells and their makers. PM-KUSUM tenders need modules from List-I, and once the cell mandate applies they also need cells from List-II, so check both lists before you order.
Why do both DCR and ALMM matter in PM-KUSUM tenders?+
Both DCR and ALMM matter because PM-KUSUM checks where your goods are made and whether the models are approved. DCR forces Indian cells and modules. ALMM forces approved models from List-I and List-II. Miss either rule and the tender can reject your PM-KUSUM bid as non-responsive.
What date should EPCs treat as the Component-C cutoff?+
EPCs often hear 31 March 2024 cited as a Component-C Letter of Award cutoff for older DCR and ALMM rules. This date is volatile and litigated. Do not treat the Component-C date as final. Confirm against the latest MNRE office memorandum before you plan any PM-KUSUM procurement.
How does an EPC prove DCR and ALMM compliance?+
An EPC proves DCR and ALMM compliance with the maker DCR certificate, the ALMM List-I model number for modules, and the ALMM List-II model number for cells once required. Datasheets, test reports and invoices support the claim. Keep every document ready, because tenders ask for proof at supply check.
How does SuryaHub help with DCR and ALMM compliance?+
SuryaHub keeps your ALMM model numbers, DCR certificates and supplier documents in one procurement record per tender, so the right proof is ready at the supply check. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL. Always verify rules against the latest MNRE order.
Sources & references
DCR and ALMM rules come from MNRE office memorandums and model tender documents. These rules move often and some are litigated, so always confirm the current rule against the latest MNRE order and the live tender before you buy.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
DCR and ALMM office memorandums, scheme guidelines and the latest enforcement orders.
- PM-KUSUM National Portal ↗
Scheme dashboard, component rules and links to state nodal agency tenders.
- Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) ↗
Model tender documents that show how DCR and ALMM clauses are worded.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MNRE, PM-KUSUM portal & SECI sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: DCR and ALMM rules are taken from the government sources above and re-checked every 30 days. The 31 March 2024 cutoff and the post-1 June 2026 cell mandate are volatile and litigated — confirm against the latest MNRE office memorandum. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.