Guides · EMD and money
How do I get an EMD exemption on GeM as an MSE or startup?
Claim it with the certificate: a valid Udyam registration for micro and small enterprises, or DPIIT startup recognition for startups, uploaded with the bid where the bid document says the exemption applies. The exemption is the buyer's rule for that bid, so read the EMD clause — most bids grant it, some do not.
Who qualifies
- Micro and small enterprises registered under Udyam. Medium enterprises are not covered by the MSE exemption.
- Startups recognised by DPIIT under the Startup India scheme, within the recognition period.
How to claim it
- Keep the Udyam certificate or the DPIIT recognition certificate current and in your bid documents.
- In the bid, select the exemption category the form offers and attach the certificate. A claim without the certificate is treated as no claim.
- Check that the certificate's details — the entity name and PAN — match the bidding entity exactly. A certificate in a proprietor's name for a bid submitted by a company is a common rejection.
What it does not do
The exemption removes the earnest money. It does not remove turnover or experience conditions unless the bid separately exempts startups from those, and it does not change technical requirements.
Where iBid.Win helps
The Company Portfolio reads the Udyam number and the DPIIT number out of the uploaded certificates, checks them against the profile, and flags a bid whose exemption you can claim.
Frequently asked
Does Udyam registration expire?
Udyam registration itself does not expire, but the enterprise classification is updated from filed returns; a business that grows into the medium category loses the MSE exemption.
Can a medium enterprise claim EMD exemption?
Not under the MSE provision. A buyer may waive EMD for all bidders on a particular bid, which the bid document states.
Is DPIIT recognition enough for turnover exemption too?
On many bids, yes: recognised startups are exempt from prior-experience and prior-turnover conditions, subject to quality and technical requirements. The bid document confirms it for that bid.
Last checked 08 September 2026. Written from GeM's published process and this platform's own rules; the bid document and the GeM portal are the authority on any date or amount.