Read the following passage carefully:
In January 2026, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) notified the operational framework for the National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP). Under the framework, eligible startups engaged in quantum computing, synthetic biology, and advanced robotics are entitled to a fiscal incentive of up to ₹5 crore for patent filing and prototype testing. However, startups operating primarily in consumer software applications, cryptocurrency trading platforms, or e-commerce aggregation are explicitly excluded from these fiscal grants. To qualify for funding, a firm must hold at least 51% domestic equity ownership and maintain a minimum R&D expenditure of 20% of its total operational cost over the preceding two fiscal years. The framework mandates that grants will be disbursed in three equal installments, provided that second-year milestones are verified by an independent technical evaluation panel appointed by DPIIT. Non-compliance with milestone timelines results in a mandatory 18-month cooling-off period before re-application.
Based strictly on the passage above, which of the following conditions must be met for a startup to qualify for fiscal grants under the NDTSP?
- Holding at least 51% domestic equity ownership and allocating a minimum of 20% of operational costs to R&D over the preceding two fiscal years.Cevap
- BOperating primarily in consumer software applications provided domestic equity ownership exceeds 51%.
- CSubmitting second-year milestone verification reports directly to the executive board of DPIIT.
- DSecuring international patent registrations prior to submitting the grant application.