DPIIT Recognition Rejected: How to Fix and Reapply
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A rejected DPIIT Startup Recognition application is not the end of the road. You can revise your application and reapply through the National Single Window System (NSWS) — the same portal your original application went through. Most rejections come down to a small number of fixable issues, covered below.
Before you resubmit, it's worth working through each part of your original application against the current eligibility test, since a rejection is usually a signal that one specific element didn't hold up rather than a wholesale problem with your business.
Weak Innovation or Scalability Write-Up
A thin or generic innovation/scalability write-up is a commonly reported pattern behind rejections, based on founder-reported experience rather than an official published statistic from DPIIT — treat this as the most frequently cited reason, not a confirmed official rejection-rate breakdown. The declaration needs to clearly show either genuine innovation/improvement in your product, service, or process, or a scalable business model with real employment or wealth-creation potential — not just a description of what your company does.
If your write-up reads more like a product description than a case for innovation or scalability, that's the first place to strengthen before you reapply. Be specific about what's actually novel or improved, and what makes the business model scalable, rather than relying on general startup language.
Eligibility Criteria Not Actually Met
- Entity age over the cap: check your incorporation date against the 10-year general limit, or the 20-year Deep Tech limit if applicable.
- Turnover over the current ceiling: confirm against the current ₹200 crore (₹300 crore for Deep Tech) cap, not an outdated figure — some official sub-pages still cite the older ₹100 crore number, so re-check against the general eligibility page.
From the blog
Legal basis
DPIIT Recognition — definition
The fee-free government status certificate issued to eligible entities under the Startup India initiative, unlocking tax, IP, procurement and compliance benefits — obtained via the NSWS portal, not startupindia.gov.in directly.
DPIIT recognition eligibility criteria — age, turnover, and the anti-splitting exclusion
The three-part eligibility test founders must clear: entity type + age-since-incorporation cap, turnover ceiling, and the not-formed-by-splitting-or-reconstruction exclusion, plus the innovation/scalability self-declaration.
DPIIT recognition application process — files through NSWS, not startupindia.gov.in directly
Corrects a common misconception: recognition applications are filed via the National Single Window System (nsws.gov.in), with startupindia.gov.in serving only as the certificate/benefits hub, not the application channel.
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