Non-DCR Solar Panels June 2026: Banned or Allowed?

Last updated September 3, 2026 (Originally published April 6, 2026)

August 21: 9th ALMM List-II revision issued, new TOPCon and HJT cell models added (Reliance Industries Jamnagar, Waaree Energies, EMMVEE).
August 3: MNRE proposed a standardized 14-digit nomenclature for ALMM List-II cell models. Comments open through August 13, 2026. Not yet finalized.
July 22–23: 8th ALMM List-II revision issued, Avaada Electro added, Fujiyama Power Systems expanded. Separately, the reopened NISE DCR portal window for Category I/II claims closed July 23, no further reopening confirmed.
July 18: Net-metering and open access exemption from ALMM List-II extended to December 31, 2026.
June 8 / June 15: Give It Up exemption confirmed to March 31, 2027 via PM Surya Ghar portal only. Simplified DISCOM-delay exemption process added via NISE portal.
May 26: No blanket extension. June 1 deadline confirmed firm.

Quick Answer

DCR vs Non-DCR Solar Panels: Difference, Full Form and June 2026 Rules

DCR (Domestic Content Requirement) panels use solar cells manufactured in India and certified under ALMM List-II. Non-DCR panels use imported cells, typically from China, which supplies most of India's solar cell demand. The distinction is about where the cell inside the module was made, not where the module was assembled, and not the panel's underlying technology. A module assembled in India from Chinese cells is still non-DCR. A module assembled in India from ALMM List-II certified Indian cells is DCR-compliant. A panel is either DCR or non-DCR regardless of whether it's monocrystalline, bifacial, or any other technology type.

The Confusion Is Real, and It's Costing EPCs Money

Since late 2025, the phrase "Non-DCR panels will be banned from June 2026" has been spreading through WhatsApp groups, YouTube channels, and installer networks across India. Some of it is accurate. Most of it is oversimplified. And when EPCs make procurement decisions based on incomplete information, the financial consequences can be severe.

Here is what the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has actually mandated, updated through June 15, 2026. ALMM List-II is one piece of a wider regulatory picture, for RPO targets, open-access rules, and net-metering, see our guide to India's solar energy laws and regulations.

What Is Actually Happening on June 1, 2026

ALMM List-II became mandatory for most projects commissioned on or after June 1, 2026. This is not a blanket ban on non-DCR panels everywhere. It's a mandate that applies to specific project categories: government tender projects, PM Surya Ghar residential rooftop, PM KUSUM Components B and C, and any project applying for open access or net metering benefits. Purely private, behind-the-meter C&I projects with no government scheme, no subsidy claim, no open access, and no net-metering benefit are not automatically covered, verify case-by-case against current MNRE and state rules before procurement.

Projects covered by the mandate include: government tender projects subject to MNRE’s bid-submission cut-off exemption, PM Surya Ghar residential rooftop installations, PM KUSUM Components B and C, and any solar project applying for open access or net metering benefits. For purely private behind-the-meter C&I projects with no government scheme connection, no subsidy claim, no open access, and no net-metering benefit, EPCs should verify applicability case-by-case against the latest MNRE and state-level rules before procurement.

Give It Up category, confirmed exemption details (MNRE OM, June 8, 2026): PM Surya Ghar residential consumers who voluntarily forego the Central Financial Assistance (subsidy of up to Rs 78,000 on a 3 kW system) and choose net metering under the Give It Up option are exempt from ALMM List-II cell requirements until March 31, 2027. To claim this exemption, applications must be submitted through the PM Surya Ghar National Portal only. No separate NISE DCR portal registration is required. This exemption covers only residential consumers under PM Surya Ghar.

All other projects that fall under MNRE’s ALMM mandate, including government / government-assisted projects, government schemes, open access, and net-metering projects, remain subject to applicable ALMM List-II requirements unless specifically exempted. Purely private behind-the-meter C&I projects with no subsidy, no government scheme linkage, no open access, and no net-metering benefit should be checked case-by-case.

Exemptions: What's Still Open, and What's Closed

ALMM List-II: Current Status

ALMM List-II has been revised nine times since its July 2025 launch, most recently August 21, 2026, adding new TOPCon and HJT cell models from Reliance Industries (Jamnagar), Waaree Energies, and EMMVEE. Always verify your specific supplier and cell model against the current revision directly at mnre.gov.in at the point of procurement, not a version checked months earlier, capacity and model listings change with each revision, and exact current totals should be confirmed on the portal rather than quoted from an earlier update.

India's Q1 2026 solar installations jumped 143% year-on-year to 15.3 GW according to Mercom India Research, driven by a rush to beat the June 1 deadline, the largest quarterly installation figure in India's history. EPCs now sourcing ALMM List-II compliant modules are competing in a constrained environment with pricing pressure and extended lead times as a result.

The authoritative source is the MNRE ALMM page: mnre.gov.in/almm. Check it directly before any procurement decision, a manufacturer listed months ago may have updated capacity or model specifications since.

Standardized Nomenclature for ALMM List-II Cells (Draft, August 2026)

On August 3, 2026, MNRE issued a separate Office Memorandum proposing a mandatory, standardized 14-character alphanumeric code for every solar PV cell model on ALMM List-II. Right now, manufacturers use their own naming conventions, which makes it hard to compare cell specifications across suppliers at a glance. Under the proposed format, the first three characters identify the origin, domestic or foreign, of the wafer, ingot, and polysilicon respectively, the same origin data that already determines DCR compliance. The next characters identify cell technology (Mono PERC, TOPCon, HJT, Back Contact), followed by wafer size, busbar count, and a manufacturer-specific identifier.

This does not change who needs ALMM List-II compliant cells or when. It changes how those cells get identified on paper, which matters directly when verifying supplier compliance (see "Check Your Supplier's Current ALMM List II Status" above). MNRE has invited stakeholder comments through August 13, 2026. This is still a proposal, not yet in force.

What's Coming Next: ALMM List-III for Wafers (2028)

MNRE confirmed in March 2026 that the ALMM framework will extend to solar ingots and wafers under a new List-III, effective June 1, 2028. From that date, all solar projects, including net-metering and open access projects, will be required to use ALMM-listed wafers, extending the domestic-content requirement one step further up the supply chain. This is a 2028 deadline, not an immediate compliance concern, but worth flagging to clients on long-horizon procurement or financing decisions now.

DCR Certificates and Checking Supplier Status

DCR credentials are verified through the national DCR Verification Portal, operated by NISE. A certificate number is generated per module batch by the manufacturer after serial numbers and quantity are entered and confirmed, and that number is required for subsidy and net-metering applications. Before placing any order for post-June projects, ask your supplier in writing for their DCR portal registration status and their process for generating a certificate number per batch. A supplier who can't explain this clearly hasn't been through the process.

To check a supplier directly: confirm which cell manufacturer your module supplier sources from, confirm that manufacturer is on the current ALMM List-II revision, and confirm the specific cell models they supply are listed, not just the company name, a brand can be listed for some models and not others.

What EPC Teams Should Do Now

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming a blanket ban exists. It doesn't, the mandate applies to specific project categories, not every non-DCR panel everywhere.
• Confusing DCR compliance with panel quality or technology. DCR is a sourcing classification, not a technology type or a quality signal.
• Assuming a stranded-project relief window is still open. Category I, Category II, and the DISCOM-delay exemption have all closed, only Give It Up and the net-metering and open-access blanket exemption remain active.
• Checking supplier compliance against an outdated ALMM revision. The list has changed nine times in about a year, verify at the point of procurement, not from memory.
• Assuming a private C&I project with no subsidy or grid-incentive connection is automatically covered. It may not be, verify case-by-case.

Reslink's solar design and proposal software generates BOM documentation that includes ALMM List-II compliance status for all specified modules, so every proposal your team issues is built on a procurement list that has been verified against the current approved list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Will non-DCR panels be completely banned from June 1, 2026?

No, this is the most common misunderstanding. Non-DCR panels aren't banned in all contexts. The mandate applies to projects that are government-tendered, subsidy-linked (PM Surya Ghar, PM KUSUM), or benefit from open access or net metering. Purely private commercial or industrial behind-the-meter installations with no government scheme connection aren't automatically covered. One confirmed exception either way: PM Surya Ghar consumers under Give It Up are exempt until March 31, 2027, via the PM Surya Ghar National Portal only.

Q2. Will MNRE grant an extension to the June 1, 2026 deadline?

No blanket extension will be granted. MNRE confirmed this in its May 25, 2026 memorandum, and it hasn't changed since. Don't plan procurement or project timelines around an expectation of further deferral.

Q3. What happens if I install non-DCR modules in a PM Surya Ghar project after June 1?

The subsidy claim will be rejected. PM Surya Ghar's subsidy, up to Rs 78,000 per household, is only released after the installation is verified through the national portal, and a valid DCR certificate number is the key verification mechanism. There's no retroactive remedy once a non-compliant installation is complete, the client will hold the EPC responsible.

Q4. Are thin film solar modules exempt from the DCR requirement?

Yes, with a condition. Thin film modules manufactured in India in integrated solar PV module manufacturing units are considered compliant with the ALMM List-II cell requirement, since thin film technology has a different cell structure than conventional crystalline silicon. The module itself must still be manufactured in India in an integrated facility, imported thin film modules don't qualify.

Q5. DCR panels cost more than non-DCR. How do I handle the price difference with clients?

The premium has been narrowing as domestic cell capacity expands, but it remains real. For subsidy-linked projects, the framing is straightforward: show the client the post-subsidy cost with a compliant module against the full upfront cost of a cheaper non-compliant option, the net cost is often lower with a compliant module once the subsidy is factored in.

Q6. Is MNRE changing how ALMM List-II cells are identified?

Yes, as a separate proposal, not yet finalized. MNRE proposed a standardized 14-character alphanumeric naming code for every ALMM List-II cell model on August 3, 2026, encoding wafer, ingot, and polysilicon origin, cell technology, wafer size, and busbar count. Open for comment through August 13, 2026, this doesn't change compliance requirements themselves, only how compliant cells are labeled.

Q7. Is MNRE changing how ALMM List-II cells are identified?

No. There's no visual difference between a DCR and non-DCR module, the distinction is about where the cell inside was manufactured, not anything visible on the outside. The only reliable way to confirm is checking the cell manufacturer against the current ALMM List-II revision at mnre.gov.in, and verifying the DCR certificate number for that specific module batch through the DCR Verification Portal.

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Sources

• MNRE ALMM Order — Bid-Submission Cut-Off Exemption — Projects under competitive government tenders whose last bid submission date fell on or before the MNRE-specified cut-off date are exempt from ALMM List-II requirements even if commissioned after June 1, 2026. EPCs should verify the applicable cut-off date for their specific tender directly at mnre.gov.in/almm.
• MNRE Office Memorandum, June 8, 2026 — Give It Up category exemption from ALMM List-II confirmed until March 31, 2027. Application route: PM Surya Ghar National Portal only, not NISE DCR portal. No separate NISE registration required for eligible consumers. Source reported by Energetica India (June 9, 2026), SolarQuarter (June 9, 2026), Saur Energy, and Deccan Herald — all citing MNRE OM directly.
• Business Standard, June 16, 2026 (reporting MNRE clarification dated June 15, 2026) — MNRE June 16 Clarification — business-standard.com — Simplified exemption process for DISCOM-delayed rooftop projects. Required documentation confirmed: GIS-tagged photographs, module invoices, daily installation reports, self-certification. Interim commissioning under ALMM List-I allowed during review. One-month window from June 15 clarification date (mid-July deadline, subject to portal confirmation). DISCOM delay to be recorded in writing on commissioning certificate.
• MNRE ALMM Primary Page (Primary) — mnre.gov.in — All ALMM revisions, Office Memoranda, advisory on DCR portal submission, Expert Committee formation notice, no-blanket-extension confirmation; 7th revision dated April 30, 2026
• MNRE Office Memorandum, May 25, 2026 (Primary) — No blanket extension beyond June 1, 2026; Category I and Category II exemption criteria; DCR portal as sole submission route; no physical applications; June 30, 2026 deadline confirmed
• Mercom India, June 2026 — mercomindia.com — DCR portal URL confirmed as solardcrportal.nise.res.in; Category I and Category II criteria confirmed; documentary evidence requirements; no physical applications accepted
• TaiyangNews, June 2026 — taiyangnews.info — ALMM List-II in force June 1, 2026; total capacity 30.3 GW after 7th revision including HJT; Q1 2026 solar installations 15.3 GW (143% YoY); 2.7 GW open access up 170% YoY, per PV Magazine India's coverage of the same Mercom India data; TaiyangNews independently reported 160% for the same figure, confirm against Mercom's primary report if quoting precisely.
• Energetica India, June 2026 — energetica-india.net — MNRE directive on DCR portal as sole channel; electrical drawing approvals required before May 1, 2026 for Category II; 75% land possession requirement confirmed
• Down to Earth India, June 2026 — downtoearth.org.in — Cell shortage concerns from manufacturers; standalone module makers at risk; market concentration toward vertically integrated players; MNRE clarified May 25 no extension
• PV Tech, "India updates solar cell ALMM List-II, adds Avaada Electro" (July 2026) – confirms the July 18, 2026 net-metering/open-access exemption extension to December 31, 2026, and 8th revision additions.
• SolarQuarter, "MNRE Reopens NISE Portal, Extends ALMM List-II Investment Protection Application Deadline To July 23, 2026" – confirms the portal reopening and closed window.
• News on Air (Government of India), "Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Extends ALMM Framework to Cover Solar Ingots and Wafers from June 1, 2028" – confirms ALMM List-III and its 2028 effective date.
• MNRE Office Memorandum, August 3, 2026, proposes a standardized 14-character alphanumeric nomenclature for ALMM List-II solar PV cell models, comments invited through August 13, 2026. Corroborated across SolarQuarter, EQ Magazine, Mercom India, TaiyangNews, Saur Energy, and PV-Tech (all August 2026 coverage), and confirmed present on MNRE's Current Notices page (mnre.gov.in) directly. The OM's full text was not directly fetched this session.