- Five stages: register → feasibility → sanction → install → net meter + commissioning.
- Systems ≤10 kW are deemed feasible under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020.
- You upload install details, serials, ALMM/DCR proof and angle-specific photos.
- The commissioning certificate triggers the subsidy — the net meter is on the critical path.
- End to end is commonly 45–90+ days (field estimate — verify with your DISCOM).
A PM Surya Ghar job is not one form — it is a five-stage relay across the customer, the portal and the DISCOM. Knowing exactly what happens at each stage, what you must upload, and where the clock stops is the difference between a 45-day job and one that drags past 90 days while your customer waits for a subsidy you do not control.
The PM Surya Ghar process at a glance
The application process runs in five stages, and each one has a clear EPC action. The customer starts it on the National Portal; you carry it through the technical and physical work; the DISCOM closes it with the net meter and the commissioning certificate. Below is the full flow as numbered stages, then a realistic timeline.
Customer registers & selects you
The homeowner registers on the National Portal with their consumer number, sanctioned load and DISCOM, then picks an empanelled vendor from the search list. Your EPC action: make sure you appear for their area, then confirm site details, roof feasibility and proposed system size before the file moves on.
DISCOM feasibility approval
The DISCOM checks whether the connection can take the proposed system. Systems up to 10 kW carry deemed feasibility under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020, so most home jobs skip a manual feasibility wait. Your EPC action: confirm the sanctioned load matches the system, raise a load enhancement if needed, and chase the DISCOM if a manual check is pending.
Technical sanction & empanelment check
Once feasibility clears, the DISCOM issues technical approval to proceed. The portal also verifies you are an empanelled vendor for that area — a self-install or non-empanelled vendor is blocked here. Your EPC action: lock the final design and BOM against ALMM/DCR-compliant equipment, and confirm your empanelment for the consumer’s DISCOM is active.
Installation with ALMM/DCR equipment
Install the system using ALMM List-I modules and DCR (Indian) cells — non-compliant equipment causes rejection at inspection. Your EPC action: install, then upload the installation details, module and inverter serial numbers, and site photos from the angles the portal specifies (panels on roof, inverter, meter board, wide shot). Weak or wrong-angle photos get sent back.
Net meter, inspection & commissioning
Apply for the bidirectional (net) meter, then the DISCOM inspects and installs it. After a successful inspection the DISCOM issues the commissioning certificate — the single document that triggers subsidy release to the customer by DBT. Your EPC action: submit the meter-change request, attend the inspection, and upload the commissioning data so the subsidy claim can complete.
Stage 1 — Customer registers and selects you
The job begins when the homeowner registers on the National Portal, enters their electricity consumer number, sanctioned load and DISCOM, and picks an empanelled vendor. Your name only appears if you are empanelled for their DISCOM area, so step one for the EPC is simply being visible where the customer is.
What the EPC does here
Once selected, confirm the site is real and buildable: roof space and orientation, shading, the meter board, and whether the sanctioned load supports the system you want to sell. Catching a load mismatch now — before sanction — saves a costly stall later. This is also the moment to set honest expectations: the subsidy is paid to the customer after commissioning, not at handover.
Stage 2 — DISCOM feasibility
The DISCOM confirms the local network can take the system. For most home jobs this is fast, because systems up to 10 kW carry deemed feasibility under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020 — the connection is treated as feasible by default unless the DISCOM raises a specific objection within the prescribed window.
What deemed feasibility lets you skip
Deemed feasibility removes the open-ended wait for a manual feasibility report on small systems, so you are not stuck for weeks before you can proceed. It does not remove the load check: if the system exceeds the sanctioned load, you still need a load enhancement first. For systems above 10 kW, a manual feasibility study applies and can run 3 days to 4 weeks (estimate — confirm with your DISCOM). The detail lives in our net metering and feasibility guide.
Stage 3 — Technical sanction and empanelment check
After feasibility clears, the DISCOM issues technical sanction — formal approval to install. The portal also confirms the vendor is empanelled for that DISCOM; a self-installation or a non-empanelled vendor is blocked at this gate and the subsidy is lost.
Lock the design and equipment now
This is where you finalise the design and the bill of materials against ALMM List-I modules and DCR (Indian) cells. Changing the system size after sanction can mean re-doing the load and feasibility step, so freeze the BOM here and confirm your empanelment is active for the consumer's DISCOM before crews are scheduled.
Stage 4 — Installation with ALMM and DCR equipment
Now the physical install happens, and it must use compliant equipment: ALMM List-I modules and DCR cells. Non-ALMM equipment is caught at inspection and means subsidy rejection, so there is no room to substitute a cheaper panel on site.
What the EPC uploads after installation
Once installed, you upload the installation details, the module and inverter serial numbers, and site photos from the angles the portal specifies — typically panels on the roof, the inverter, the meter board and a wide shot. Blurry, cropped or wrong-angle photos are a common reason the file is bounced back, costing days. Capture them properly the first time.
Stage 5 — Net meter, inspection and commissioning
The final stage is the one that releases the money. You raise the net-meter (bidirectional meter) request, the DISCOM inspects the installation, and on a successful inspection it installs the meter and issues the commissioning certificate.
The commissioning certificate's unique role
The commissioning certificate is the single document that triggers the subsidy to the customer by DBT. Nothing releases the subsidy before it exists — which is why the net meter sits squarely on the critical path. A meter that takes 45 days to install delays the subsidy by 45 days, even if your installation was perfect. Our net metering process guide covers the meter request and how to keep it from blocking the job.
A realistic end-to-end timeline
Treat every duration below as a field estimate — the published rules and the ground reality differ, and timelines vary by DISCOM, season and backlog.
*Field estimates — actual timelines vary by DISCOM and season. Always verify with your DISCOM.
Where jobs stall — and how to manage expectations
Most PM Surya Ghar delays are not installation problems; they are waiting problems. The job sits between your crew and a government step you cannot speed up. Knowing the usual stall points lets you manage the customer instead of being surprised.
- Net-meter backlog — the single biggest stall; the subsidy cannot move until the meter is in.
- Load mismatch — a system bigger than the sanctioned load blocks sanction until the load is upgraded.
- Photo rejections — wrong-angle or unclear photos bounce the file back; re-shoot adds days.
- Inspection scheduling — DISCOM inspector availability can hold the commissioning certificate.
- DBT name mismatch — even after commissioning, a name mismatch across Aadhaar, bill and bank holds the customer's subsidy. See subsidy rejection reasons.
The honest move is to tell the customer up front that the subsidy lands weeks after their system is switched on, and to track every job's stage so you can answer "where is mine?" before they ask. Our subsidy claim tracking guide covers the cash-flow side.
How SuryaHub runs the whole workflow
SuryaHub turns these five stages into one tracked pipeline on a single project record. A lead becomes a quote, then a technical survey, then a sales order raised against ALMM/DCR-aware stock, then an installation with photo proof, then net metering and subsidy tracking — through the project management and government-workflow modules. It flags any job stuck at feasibility, photos or net meter so nothing that gates the commissioning certificate slips. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and timelines here are field estimates, not guarantees.
See every job's stage at a glance
Bring a live PM Surya Ghar job. We'll show the pipeline end to end.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the PM Surya Ghar application process?+
The PM Surya Ghar application process has five stages: the customer registers and selects an empanelled vendor, the DISCOM grants feasibility, technical sanction is issued, the EPC installs ALMM and DCR-compliant equipment, and finally the net meter is installed and the commissioning certificate is issued. That certificate triggers the subsidy to the customer.
How long does the PM Surya Ghar process take end to end?+
End to end the PM Surya Ghar process commonly takes about 45 to 90 or more days. Feasibility can run 3 days to 4 weeks, the net meter typically takes 15 to 45 days, and the subsidy commonly lands 15 to 30 days after the commissioning certificate in theory, longer in practice. These are field estimates — confirm with your DISCOM.
Do small rooftop systems still need DISCOM feasibility approval?+
Systems up to 10 kW carry deemed feasibility under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020, so most home rooftop jobs skip a manual feasibility wait. The EPC should still confirm the sanctioned load matches the system size, since a load mismatch can stall the file even when feasibility is deemed.
What does the EPC upload during the PM Surya Ghar process?+
During the PM Surya Ghar process the EPC uploads installation details, module and inverter serial numbers, ALMM and DCR equipment proof, site photos from the specified angles, and the commissioning data after the net meter is installed. Missing or wrong-angle photos are a common reason a file is sent back.
What triggers the PM Surya Ghar subsidy release?+
The commissioning certificate triggers the PM Surya Ghar subsidy release. It is issued after the net meter is installed and the DISCOM inspection passes. Until that certificate exists, the subsidy cannot be paid, so the net meter sits on the critical path of the whole job.
How does SuryaHub help with the PM Surya Ghar process?+
SuryaHub turns the five PM Surya Ghar stages into one tracked pipeline so no upload, inspection or net-meter step is missed, and it flags jobs that stall. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and timelines on this page are field estimates, not guarantees.
Sources & references
The process stages, deemed-feasibility rule and commissioning requirement come from primary government sources. Always confirm the current process with your DISCOM and the National Portal before you apply.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
The consumer and vendor application flow, stage tracking and process rules.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
Scheme guidelines, ALMM/DCR rules and the commissioning requirement.
- Press Information Bureau (PIB) ↗
Official scheme announcements and subsidy structure.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against MNRE & National Portal sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: Process stages and rules are taken from the government sources above and re-checked every 30 days. Timelines are field estimates. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.