What project owners need to know.
MNRE's proposed ALMM List-II cell code is a 14-character model code, placed after the brand name, that would record whether a solar cell's polysilicon, ingot, wafer and cell were made in India (D) or abroad (F), followed by codes for cell technology, wafer size and efficiency. It was circulated as a revised draft dated 5 October 2026, with comments due by 12 October 2026, and is still a proposal until MNRE issues a final memorandum.
What MNRE has proposed
ALMM List-II, MNRE's approved list for solar cells, took effect on 1 June 2026. To make listed cell models comparable, MNRE has proposed a standard naming format. An earlier draft was circulated in August 2026; PV Tech reported that a revised office memorandum dated 5 October 2026 replaced it, with stakeholder comments invited until 12 October 2026.
Under the revised draft, every listed cell model would carry the manufacturer's brand name followed by a 14-character code. TaiyangNews reported that models already inspected or listed would have two months from the final memorandum to adopt the new format. Until that final memorandum is issued, the layout described below is a draft and may change.
- August 2026: first draft nomenclature circulated
- 5 October 2026: revised draft memorandum (as reported by PV Tech)
- 12 October 2026: comment deadline
- Final memorandum: not yet issued as of 24 October 2026
How the code is reported to work
PV Tech and TaiyangNews describe the same layout for the October draft. The first four characters record origin, in supply-chain order: polysilicon, ingot, wafer and cell, each marked D for domestic or F for foreign. The next two give the cell technology, then two for wafer size, three for efficiency with the decimal point dropped, and three reserved for later use.
The August draft was laid out differently, with origin flags for wafer, ingot and polysilicon in the first three positions plus fields for busbars and a manufacturer identifier, according to SolarQuarter. Because the layout has already changed once, anyone building it into procurement documents should work from MNRE's final memorandum rather than press summaries.
- Positions 1–4: origin of polysilicon, ingot, wafer, cell (D or F)
- Positions 5–6: cell technology, e.g. TC (TOPCon), HJ (heterojunction), BC (back contact), MP (PERC), PS (perovskite)
- Positions 7–8: wafer size, e.g. MA (M10), MB (M10R), GA (G12), GB (G12R)
- Positions 9–11: efficiency without the decimal point
- Positions 12–14: reserved
Why upstream origin becomes visible
Today a buyer can see that a cell is ALMM-listed but not, from the model name alone, where its wafer or ingot came from. The proposed code would put that on the label. PV Tech reported that cells made in India from imported diffused (blue) wafers would not count as domestic, which is consistent with MNRE's March 2025 clarification on domestic content.
This matters because India's domestic cell capacity has grown far faster than its ingot and wafer capacity. A visible origin flag lets buyers, lenders and scheme administrators tell a cell built on an imported wafer from one built on an Indian wafer, ahead of ALMM List-III, which is set to extend the approved-list requirement to ingots and wafers from 1 June 2028.
What it means for cell makers and module buyers
For cell makers the near-term task is documentation: being able to show, batch by batch, where polysilicon, ingots and wafers came from. For module makers and EPC buyers, the code would make it easier to specify, and audit, cells with a given upstream profile, for example domestic wafer and cell with imported polysilicon.
None of this changes eligibility rules on its own. The code describes origin; which origins qualify for a given scheme is set by the scheme and by ALMM. Buyers should read the two together and check the current MNRE notices for any scheme they are bidding into.
- Keep traceable records for polysilicon, ingot and wafer sources
- Match tender specifications to the final code layout, not the draft
- Read the code alongside DCR and ALMM List-III rules, which decide eligibility
Where quartz, polysilicon and crucibles sit
The code starts at polysilicon. The steps before it, high-purity quartz sand, metallurgical-grade silicon and the quartz crucibles in which ingots are grown, are not part of the reported code. They still shape whether a domestic ingot is practical: every Czochralski ingot is pulled from a melt held in a fused-quartz crucible made from high-purity quartz sand.
A cell coded D-D-D-D would therefore still rest on materials that India largely imports today. Building those upstream links is what turns an origin flag into durable domestic capacity.
- Quartz → high-purity quartz sand → crucible
- Quartz → metallurgical-grade silicon → polysilicon
- Polysilicon + crucible → ingot → wafer → cell (the part the code records)
How JRST supports this requirement
JRST works on the upstream links the code does not yet show: high-purity quartz sand from its Pondicherry plant, crucible supply coordination and Maharashtra's first silicon-ingot line in Nagpur. We help cell and module teams map where their wafers, ingots and materials come from ahead of ALMM List-III. This guide summarises public reporting on a draft MNRE memorandum as of the date shown; confirm the final layout and any scheme rules against MNRE's official notices before relying on it.
Discuss your requirement
Mohammed Saif Zaveri connects JRST's industrial content to execution conversations.
As Co-Founder and designated partner of JRST Technology LLP, Mohammed Saif Zaveri works across industrial growth, strategic partnerships, client conversations, equipment strategy, and project pathways for silicon, solar, semiconductor, and advanced-manufacturing opportunities.
This knowledge page is part of JRST's public industrial knowledge base, designed to help buyers move from search terms and early research toward a structured technical-commercial discussion.
View Mohammed Saif Zaveri's profileConnect on LinkedInFrequently asked questions
What is the MNRE 14-character ALMM List-II cell code?
It is a proposed model code for solar cells on ALMM List-II. Placed after the brand name, its first four characters would show whether the polysilicon, ingot, wafer and cell are domestic (D) or foreign (F), followed by codes for technology, wafer size and efficiency. MNRE circulated it as a revised draft in October 2026; it is not final.
What do D and F mean in the ALMM cell code?
D means the stage was carried out in India and F means it was carried out abroad. The four origin positions cover polysilicon, ingot, wafer and cell, in that order, under the October 2026 draft as reported by PV Tech and TaiyangNews.
Does the ALMM cell code cover quartz or crucibles?
No. Reported scope starts at polysilicon. High-purity quartz sand, metallurgical-grade silicon and quartz crucibles are upstream inputs that the code does not record.
Is the ALMM cell code final?
Not as of 24 October 2026. Comments on the revised draft closed on 12 October 2026, and the format applies only once MNRE issues a final memorandum. Already-listed models would reportedly then have two months to adopt it.
Who is affected by the ALMM cell code?
Cell manufacturers listed or seeking listing on ALMM List-II, and, indirectly, module makers, EPC buyers and lenders who specify or audit cell origin.
Primary sources and further reading
Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Technical scope, policy eligibility, availability, and commercial terms should be independently confirmed for each project.