At a glance
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Udyam Registration Portal | Launched 1 July 2020, at udyamregistration.gov.in |
| Udyam Assist Platform | Launched 11 January 2023, at udyamassist.gov.in |
| Who uses Udyam Assist | Informal micro enterprises without PAN or GST registration |
| How Udyam Assist is filed | Through common service centres and designated agencies |
| Output | Udyam Assist Certificate, versus a Udyam Registration Number |
| Implementation agency | SIDBI |
| Priority sector lending status | The Udyam Assist Certificate is treated on par with the Udyam Registration Certificate |
| Combined registrations | Over 7.83 crore as on 28 February 2026, per the Ministry of MSME |
| Migration | Move to the main portal once PAN and GST are obtained |
Why two platforms exist
Udyam registration is built on PAN and GST data. Investment is read from income tax records and turnover from GST records, which works well for a formalised business and not at all for one that has neither.
That left a very large population outside the system: street vendors, artisans, home-based producers and small service providers operating entirely in the informal economy. The Udyam Assist Platform was launched on 11 January 2023 specifically to bring them in, using an assisted, Aadhaar-based route rather than a self-service portal built on tax data.
The practical differences
| Feature | Udyam Registration | Udyam Assist |
|---|---|---|
| PAN required | Yes, other than an unregistered proprietorship | No |
| GST required | Only where liable under the CGST Act, 2017 | No |
| How it is filed | Self-service on the portal | Through common service centres and designated agencies |
| Who it covers | Micro, small and medium enterprises | Informal micro enterprises |
| Priority sector lending | Recognised | Recognised on par with the Udyam certificate |
| Output | Udyam Registration Number and e-certificate | Udyam Assist Certificate |
| Path forward | Annual update | Migrate to the main portal on obtaining PAN and GST |
The scale of what this reached
The Ministry of MSME reported over 7.83 crore enterprises registered across both platforms as on 28 February 2026, up from 0.79 crore at the end of FY 2021-22 and 6.19 crore at the end of FY 2024-25. By July 2026 the Ministry put the combined figure at about 8.9 crore.
That trajectory is why large buyers now treat a Udyam number as a routine vendor onboarding field rather than an optional extra. The formal MSME base is no longer a niche.
When to migrate
Udyam Assist is a starting point, not a destination. Once an enterprise obtains a PAN, and GST registration where it becomes liable, it should move to the main Udyam portal.
The reason is coverage. The main registration produces a Udyam Registration Number recognised across the full range of MSME benefits, and it carries the classification data that lenders and procurement platforms verify. An enterprise that is formalising anyway loses nothing by making the move at the same time.
What is the Udyam Assist Platform?
It is a registration route launched on 11 January 2023 for informal micro enterprises that do not hold PAN or GST registration. It is implemented through SIDBI and filed with assistance rather than self-service, and it issues a Udyam Assist Certificate that the Reserve Bank treats on par with a Udyam Registration Certificate for priority sector lending.
Can I use Udyam Assist if I have a PAN?
If you hold a PAN you should register on the main Udyam Registration Portal, which produces a Udyam Registration Number and the full classification record that lenders and procurement platforms verify. Udyam Assist is designed for enterprises outside the tax net entirely, so an enterprise holding a PAN is better served by the main portal even if its turnover is very small.
Is a Udyam Assist Certificate as good as a Udyam certificate?
For priority sector lending the Reserve Bank treats the Udyam Assist Certificate on par with the Udyam Registration Certificate, so it is not a lesser document for credit purposes. It is designed for enterprises outside the tax net, and an enterprise that obtains a PAN should migrate to the main portal, where the full classification record that lenders and procurement platforms verify is held.
How do I migrate from Udyam Assist?
Obtain a PAN, and GST registration where you become liable under the CGST Act, then register on the main Udyam Registration Portal. Take advice on the composite classification first, since your category is determined by investment and turnover. There is no automatic transfer between the two platforms, so treat this as a fresh registration and check afterwards that no duplicate remains active against the same enterprise.
How many enterprises are registered in total?
The Ministry of MSME reported over 7.83 crore registrations across the Udyam Registration Portal and the Udyam Assist Platform as on 28 February 2026, rising to about 8.9 crore by July 2026. That growth, from 0.79 crore at the end of FY 2021-22, is why large buyers now treat a Udyam number as a standard vendor onboarding field rather than an optional one.
About the author
CA & CS Team
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