Scheme for Reimbursement of Testing and Certification Charges for Start-ups and Telecom MSEs

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in coordination with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, has introduced the "Scheme for Reimbursement of Testing and Certification Charges for Start-ups and Telecom MSEs". Testing and certification of telecom equipment serve as essential steps for start-ups and telecom MSEs to gain acceptance in both domestic and international deployments. Certified products and solutions build consumer trust and support business growth, encouraging their uptake in local and overseas markets. To assist start-ups and Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs), the competent authority has decided to cover testing and certification expenses in the telecom domain under the mandatory or voluntary testing certification scheme.

Through this scheme, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) will refund a portion of the testing costs borne by start-ups and MSEs at laboratories designated or recognised by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), or at NABL-accredited laboratories where no TEC-designated Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) exists for a specific test facility. Certification charges under the mandatory or voluntary testing certification scheme will also be reimbursed.

**Objectives:** - To refund a portion of testing and certification charges for start-ups and MSEs in the telecom/ICT field, incurred at TEC or National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) designated or recognised labs, or at NABL-accredited labs where no TEC-designated CAB is available for a particular test facility, under the mandatory or voluntary testing certification scheme. - To enhance the capability of start-ups and MSEs and foster a supportive environment for telecom product development, thereby strengthening their competitiveness in domestic and export markets.

**Duration of the Scheme:** To stimulate the ecosystem, the scheme will remain active for two years from its implementation date, or until the allocated funds of Rs 25,00,00,000 (Rs 25 crore) are fully spent, whichever comes first.

To apply for reimbursement of testing and certification charges, use the online portal at https://tec.gov.in/tcrs. The application must be submitted online and accompanied by the following documents:

- Certificate of Incorporation - Annual Audited Financial Statements (from the date of incorporation) - DPIIT Registration or Udyam Registration Certificate, as applicable - The laboratory's TEC/NCCS Designation Certificate or NABL Accreditation Certificate, as applicable - Test reports and the product certificate (MTCTE/Voluntary Certification) - Invoice or receipt issued by the TEC/NCCS designated laboratory or NABL-accredited laboratory - Payment receipt for certification fees paid to TEC/CB - An undertaking confirming that the Start-up/MSE's annual revenue has not exceeded INR 5 crores in any financial year since incorporation, and that the Start-up has not raised funds exceeding INR 10 crores - Bank account details, along with a copy of a cancelled cheque - A self-declaration stating that no reimbursement for the same product testing and certification charges has been received under any other government scheme - A copy of the PAN card - Any other required documents

Applications must be submitted in the format and through the process specified in Annexure-I.

Applications must be filed online ahead of the quarterly deadlines set out in the scheme. The Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCOE) first checks each submission for completeness and whether it meets the basic eligibility conditions. Those that pass this initial screening are then referred to the Technical Evaluation Committee, which carries out a detailed assessment and due diligence. Based on the committee’s findings, the application moves to the Administrative Committee for further scrutiny and endorsement, with the final decision resting with the competent authority.

Once approval is granted, Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) releases the funds to TCOE, which then pays the reimbursement to the successful applicant within 7 days.