The 2018 amendment to the Public Procurement Policy reserves 3% of central government procurementfor women-owned MSEs. That translates to over ₹15,000 crore in annual purchasing power directed specifically at women entrepreneurs. On GeM, women MSE sellers are flagged and buyers can filter for them directly.
What the 3% Reservation Means
- Central ministries and CPSEs must procure 3% of their annual requirement from women-owned MSEs
- This is a sub-set of the 25% MSE procurement mandate — women MSEs get a dedicated slice
- The enterprise must be owned by a woman (51%+ ownership) and registered as such in Udyam
- GeM automatically flags women-owned MSEs, making them visible to government buyers tracking quotas
How to Qualify
- Udyam registration — register at udyamregistration.gov.in and ensure the proprietor/majority partner is identified as a woman entrepreneur
- 51% ownership — for partnerships and companies, at least 51% ownership must be held by women
- GeM listing — list products/services on GeM. The platform auto-tags women MSE status from Udyam.
- NSIC registration (optional) — adds credibility and enables performance/security exemptions
Benefits Beyond the 3% Quota
- All MSE benefits apply — EMD exemption, 15% purchase preference, reserved items access
- Standup India loans — ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for women entrepreneurs. Every bank branch must issue at least one Standup loan to a woman.
- CGTMSE enhanced coverage — women-owned MSEs get higher guarantee coverage, reducing collateral requirements
- State-level schemes — many states (Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka) have additional procurement preferences for women MSEs
- NSIC credit facilitation — discounted fees for women-owned enterprises for tender-related financial instruments
Sectors Where Women MSEs Are Active
- Textiles and garments — uniform supply, handloom products, hospital linen
- Food processing — catering services, packaged food for mid-day meals and anganwadis
- IT services — data entry, software development, digital marketing for government projects
- Stationery and printing — office supplies, printed materials, notebooks for school schemes
- Healthcare products — sanitisers, masks, medical disposables, surgical consumables
Women MSME Tender Opportunities
Find government tenders with women MSE preference on Tenderkart.
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