Government departments once bought supplies through slow, paper-heavy tenders. GeM replaced much of that with an online marketplace.
Must Know
GeM: Government e-Marketplace
What GeM Is
- Full formGeM is the Government e-Marketplace.
- RoleIt is India’s national public procurement portal.
- BuyersGovernment departments, PSUs and autonomous bodies buy online.
Launch and Structure
- LaunchGeM launched on 9 August 2016.
- CompanyIt is a fully government-owned, not-for-profit Section 8 company.
Core Goal
- TransparencyIt replaces manual tendering with an open, trackable online marketplace.
- ScopeIt offers over 10,000 product categories and 330+ services.
Good to Know
Scale and Inclusion
Scale
- UsersIt supports 1.64 lakh buyers and 4.2 lakh sellers.
- GMVBy April 2026, cumulative GMV had crossed Rs 18.4 lakh crore.
Cost Savings
- StudiesWorld Bank and the Economic Survey credit GeM with ~10% average savings.
MSE Inclusion
- ShareMSEs executed 68% of orders in FY 2025-26.
- OnboardedGeM has onboarded 10 lakh MSEs and 31,000 startups.
Test Yourself
Question 1 of 1
Great to Know
Why It Matters
Fee Reforms
- Charges97% of transactions are now free of transaction charges.
Beyond Goods
- ServicesGeM now enables drone-as-a-service and insurance procurement.
Current Affairs
📰 Current Affairs
Ten Years of GeM
- DataOn 7 August 2026, GeM completed ten years; cumulative GMV crossed Rs 20 lakh crore.(ANI; Ministry of Commerce and Industry, 7 Aug 2026)
- PaceThe first Rs 10 lakh crore took 8 years; the next came in under two.(ANI; Ministry of Commerce and Industry, 7 Aug 2026)
- SourceANI; Ministry of Commerce and Industry.(ANI; Ministry of Commerce and Industry, 7 Aug 2026)
PYQ
Exam Point of View
MCQ Questions
- PrelimsGeM and public procurement appear in UPSC and other competitive exams.
Written Answer Questions
- ThemeE-governance and public procurement are recurring GS-III themes.
Was this helpful?
Leave a Reply