Stand-Up India scheme for women in 2026, eligibility, the ₹10 lakh–₹1 crore loan, and how to apply

What is the Stand-Up India scheme?

Where a Mudra loan helps you start small, Stand-Up India funds real ambition. It requires every scheduled commercial bank branch in the country to lend between ₹10 lakh and ₹1 crore to at least one woman and one SC or ST entrepreneur for a new business. That mandate is the point: it exists to push bigger, bank-grade capital toward founders the system usually underserves.

For women, the Stand-Up India scheme is one of the strongest routes to a serious first venture, a manufacturing unit, a proper services business, a trading operation or an agriculture-allied enterprise. It is bank finance, not a grant, but it is designed to be reachable, with a guarantee cover that eases the collateral problem most women without property run into.

Who is eligible

• You are a woman, of any caste or community, above 18 years of age. (The scheme also covers SC and ST entrepreneurs of any gender.)
• The business is greenfield, meaning it is your first venture in that line, a brand-new unit rather than an expansion.
• In a non-individual business, women and/or SC/ST partners hold at least 51% of the shareholding and controlling stake.
• You are not in default with any bank or financial institution.

The greenfield condition is the one people miss. Stand-Up India backs a first enterprise, so if you already run the same business and want to grow it, a different scheme fits better. Our government schemes for women entrepreneurs guide maps which scheme suits which stage.

What you get

The composite structure matters. A single loan covers both the machinery or setup (term loan) and the day-to-day running costs (working capital), so you are not stitching together two facilities. And because it funds up to 85% of the project, you need to arrange far less of the cost yourself than a normal business loan would demand.

How to apply for Stand-Up India

Step 1, Prepare your project

Put together a clear project report: what you will build, the total cost, and how the money splits between equipment and working capital. Get your Udyam registration and KYC in order first.

Step 2, Register on the Stand-Up Mitra portal

Apply online at standupmitra.in. The portal can also connect you to hand-holding support, guidance on the project report, registrations and skilling, which genuinely improves your odds of a sanction.

Step 3, Bank appraisal and sanction

Your application reaches your chosen bank or the Lead District Manager. The bank appraises the project and, once satisfied, sanctions the composite loan under the CGFSIL guarantee. You can also apply directly at a bank branch.

Stand-Up India or Mudra: which fits you?

The honest answer is about scale and stage. If you are testing an idea or running a micro-business, a collateral-free Mudra loan (up to ₹10 lakh) is faster and simpler. If you are committing to a first, properly capitalised venture that needs ₹10 lakh or more, Stand-Up India is built for exactly that leap, and its guarantee cover is what makes the bigger cheque reachable without property to pledge.

Compare every option before you borrow. Our guide to business loans for women in India lays them side by side, the Funding Match tool shortlists what you qualify for, and the founder stories show how women timed the jump from small to serious.