- Why in news
- On 8 August 2026, PIB published a feature on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) as it begins its 11th year, after its launch on 9 August 2016. It reports scale, inclusion data and new partnerships.
- What it is
- GeM is a unified online platform through which government buyers purchase goods and services. It replaces manual tendering with paperless, cashless and contactless procurement. It sits under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and was backed by amendments to the General Financial Rules.
- Launch
- GeM was launched on 9 August 2016 to digitise public procurement.
- Legal backing
- Amendments to the General Financial Rules let government organisations buy through the platform.
- Buying modes
- Buyers can use direct purchase, comparison, electronic bidding and reverse auctions.
- Scale
- GeM links over 1.37 lakh buyer organisations with nearly 25 lakh sellers, with cumulative procurement above ₹20 lakh crore.
- GeM Sahay
- A mobile app giving eligible proprietorship sellers instant collateral-free working capital loans, without buyer consent.
- Inclusion initiatives
- SWAYATT, Startup Runway 2.0, Womaniya and the SARAS Collection target startups, women, SHGs and other underserved sellers.
Don’t confuse with GeM vs CPPP: GeM is a transaction marketplace for buying. The Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) is a single access point for government tender information.
Don’t confuse with GeM Sahay vs SWAYATT: GeM Sahay is a loan app for sellers. SWAYATT is an initiative promoting startups, women and youth as sellers.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Digitising the procurement cycle improves transparency, cuts discretion and lowers transaction costs.
- Dedicated windows widen market access for MSEs, women-led firms, SC/ST enterprises and startups.
Problems
- Sellers, especially small ones in remote areas, need awareness, registration help and working capital.
- Integrating separate portals such as IREPS and DPPP into one system takes time.
Way forward
- Expand local handholding such as GeM Suvidha Kendras and capacity building.
- Complete portal integration and use AI to strengthen transparency.
Put in your answer
MSE participation 2025-26: Over 11 lakh registered MSEs executed more than 51 lakh orders worth over ₹2.36 lakh crore.
Startup procurement: Procurement from startups crossed ₹19,000 crore with over 36% annual growth.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting public procurement platform launched 9 August 2016; explainer, but few fresh facts for a statement-based question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.