Maarg Manthan · Topic 12.1

National Solar Mission (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission)

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes · Topic 12.1

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, also called the National Solar Mission, is a flagship mission of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy launched on 11 January 2010 as one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It first aimed at 20,000 MW of grid solar power by 2022. In 2015 the target was raised five times to 100 GW by 2022, made up of 60 GW from ground-mounted and large plants and 40 GW from rooftops. India did not fully meet the 2022 goal, and the larger goal is now 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.

6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes

At a Glance

Launched 11 January 2010
Ministry New and Renewable Energy
Revised target 100 GW by 2022, set in 2015
Nodal agency for bids Solar Energy Corporation of India
Part of National Action Plan on Climate Change
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Energy and Renewable Energy Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the first topic of the macro on energy and renewable energy schemes. Later topics on rooftop solar, farmer solar pumps and green hydrogen all work under the framework set by this mission. Previous topic: National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID). Next topic: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (Rooftop Solar).

What Are the Phases and Targets of the National Solar Mission?

Phase or year	What it set out
Mission launch, 2010	Launched on 11 January 2010 as one of the eight missions of the National Action Plan on Climate Change, with a goal of 20,000 MW grid solar by 2022
Phase I, 2010 to 2013	Early projects were chosen by reverse auction, with power bundled with thermal power by the NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam to give payment security
Phase II, 2013 to 2017	Large scale deployment, with solar parks and the Viability Gap Funding window
Phase III, 2017 to 2022	Aimed at large scale capacity and cost reduction, with a focus on tariffs competitive with other sources
Revision, 2015	The Union Cabinet raised the target to 100 GW by 2022, made of 40 GW rooftop and 60 GW ground-mounted and large plants
Present goal	The wider national goal is 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030, with solar as the largest part

What Policy Tools Support Solar Power?

Reverse auction: developers bid down the tariff, and prices have fallen from over Rs 10 per unit in 2010 to a little over Rs 2 per unit in recent auctions
Solar parks: a scheme of 2014 supports large solar parks with common land, power evacuation and water, with a goal of tens of gigawatts
Solar Energy Corporation of India: a Central public sector company under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy that runs auctions and signs power sale agreements
Rooftop programme: a subsidy for homes and a push through distribution companies, as in PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (Rooftop Solar)
Farmer solar: a separate scheme supports pumps and farm plants, as in PM-KUSUM Scheme (Solar Pumps for Farmers)
Domestic manufacturing: a production linked incentive for solar modules and an approved list of models and manufacturers aims to build local supply
Customs duties: a basic customs duty on imported cells and modules aims to protect domestic makers
International Solar Alliance: launched by India and France at Paris in November 2015, with headquarters at Gurugram, to promote solar use in sunshine rich countries

What Else Should You Remember?

Link with climate action: the mission is one of the eight national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change, as in National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
Early controversy: India lost a dispute at the World Trade Organization in 2016 and 2019 over the domestic content requirement in the mission, with the United States as the complainant
Capacity milestone: India reached about 100 GW of installed solar capacity in January 2025, and the figure has kept growing since. Check the latest data from the ministry
Target shortfall: the 100 GW goal for 2022 was missed mainly because of rooftop solar, which lagged far behind the 40 GW aim
Share in power: solar produces a growing but still small share of total electricity, and its output is only available in the daytime
Grid integration: curtailment, weak transmission and delays in building lines in solar rich States such as Rajasthan and Gujarat remain problems
Storage: batteries and pumped storage are needed to move solar power into the evening peak, and the government has begun support for storage
Payment risk: delayed payments by distribution companies make developers wary, and the government has brought in rules to secure payments
Land: large solar parks need land, which creates competition with farming and grazing, and has led to conflict over grasslands in places
Hybrid and round the clock projects: auctions now include wind solar hybrids and projects with storage that supply power on a firm basis
Modhera: Modhera in Gujarat was named India’s first fully solar powered village in 2022
Sibling topics: green hydrogen demand will also rely on cheap solar power, as in National Green Hydrogen Mission

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Dates and targets: 2010 launch, 20,000 MW first target and 100 GW revised target
Breakup: 40 GW rooftop and 60 GW ground-mounted and large plants
Institutions: SECI, MNRE and the International Solar Alliance with its Gurugram headquarters
Policy link: the National Action Plan on Climate Change and its eight missions
Common errors: mixing up the 2010 target with the 2015 target, or placing the International Solar Alliance headquarters elsewhere

As an analytical point, India has cut solar tariffs sharply and built capacity at scale, but power only has value if it can be delivered when needed. Storage, transmission and the financial health of distribution companies now matter more than panel prices. A stronger rooftop push would also spread the benefits to homes.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Targets 20,000 MW then 100 GW
Institutions SECI and ISA
Challenges Grid, storage, payment risk

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the rooftop solar scheme for households. Next topic: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (Rooftop Solar).

Key People and Terms

JNNSM Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission
SECI Solar Energy Corporation of India
Reverse auction Lowest tariff bid wins
Solar park Large site with shared facilities
Curtailment Forced reduction of solar power supplied
ISA International Solar Alliance

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Launched 11 January 2010.
Target moved from 20,000 MW to 100 GW in 2015.
Split: 60 GW ground, 40 GW rooftop.
ISA: Paris 2015, HQ Gurugram.
Present goal: 500 GW non-fossil by 2030.

Do Not Confuse With

National Solar Mission and PM Surya Ghar A national mission from 2010 versus a household rooftop scheme from 2024
SECI and MNRE Implementing company versus the ministry
National Solar Mission and ISA A domestic mission versus a global alliance

Memory Hook

Twenty thousand in 2010, a hundred gigawatts in 2015: sixty on the ground, forty on the roof.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the progress of solar power and the barriers that remain. These points give a balanced frame.

Achievements Fall in tariffs, capacity growth, global role
Barriers Grid, storage, finances, land
Way forward Storage, rooftop push, local manufacturing

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Evaluate the progress of the National Solar Mission and the challenges in meeting India’s solar energy targets.”

How to Answer

Aim Scale up solar power.
Progress Lower tariffs, more capacity.
Gaps Rooftop, grid, storage.
Way Storage and manufacturing.

GS Relevance

Prelims: launch, phases, targets, institutions, International Solar Alliance. GS Paper 3: renewable energy, climate commitments, energy security, infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the National Solar Mission?

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission is a mission of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy launched on 11 January 2010 under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. It aims to make solar power competitive with other sources and expand capacity, with a revised target of 100 GW by 2022.

What was the solar target revised to in 2015?

In 2015 the Union Cabinet raised the solar target from 20,000 MW to 100 GW by 2022, made up of 60 GW from ground-mounted and large grid plants and 40 GW from rooftop solar. India did not fully meet it because rooftop solar lagged behind, though total capacity kept rising.

What is the role of SECI?

The Solar Energy Corporation of India is a Central public sector company under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. It runs reverse auctions for solar and hybrid projects, signs power purchase agreements with developers and sells power to distribution companies, which helps build confidence among investors.

What is the International Solar Alliance?

The International Solar Alliance is a treaty based organisation of sunshine rich countries launched by India and France at the Paris climate conference in November 2015. Its headquarters is at Gurugram in India, and it promotes solar use through finance, technology and common standards among member countries.

Why did India face a WTO dispute over solar?

The United States challenged the domestic content requirement in India's solar mission, which forced developers using government support to buy Indian made cells and modules. The World Trade Organization panel ruled against India in 2016 and again in 2019, as the rule favoured local goods over imports.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The National Solar Mission was launched in January 2010.

True

The date was 11 January 2010.

2 The 2015 revision set the target at 100 GW, with 60 GW from rooftop solar.

False

It was 40 GW rooftop and 60 GW ground-mounted and large plants.

3 The International Solar Alliance has its headquarters at Gurugram.