From 26 February 2026, SEBI has stopped fresh subscriptions to solution-oriented mutual fund schemes (children's funds and retirement funds) and introduced a new category called Life Cycle Funds. Your existing investment is not wiped out; it stays invested and you can redeem as per the scheme rules. But you cannot put new money into the old children's or retirement schemes after that date.
If you run a SIP into a children's or retirement fund, read “What existing investors should do” first.
SEBI rationalised mutual fund categories through its circular on Categorisation and Rationalization of Mutual Fund Schemes dated 26 February 2026. Two things happened together:
This sits alongside the broader SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 2026, notified on 14 January 2026, which replaced the 1996 framework and brought in a new Base Expense Ratio (BER) structure separating fund-management cost from statutory levies.
| Feature | Life Cycle Fund | Old solution-oriented fund |
|---|---|---|
| Status | New category from 2026 | Discontinued for fresh money |
| Tenure | Target 5 to 30 years | Linked to child age or retirement |
| Strategy | Glide path, equity to debt | Fixed mandate with lock-in |
| Schemes per AMC | Up to 6 | One children plus one retirement |
Anil, a father in Nagpur, runs a ₹5,000 monthly SIP in a children's fund for his daughter's college. After 26 February 2026 his fund house tells him the scheme cannot accept new SIP instalments. His past investment stays put and keeps growing. He moves his future SIP into a Life Cycle Fund with a 12-year target that matches when his daughter turns 18, keeping the same goal on track.
No. SEBI discontinued only fresh subscriptions to these solution-oriented schemes from 26 February 2026. Your existing units stay invested and continue as per the scheme rules. You can redeem subject to the scheme's lock-in and exit-load terms.
A Life Cycle Fund is a new open-ended mutual fund category introduced by SEBI in 2026. It runs for a target tenure of 5 to 30 years and follows a glide path, automatically shifting from higher equity to higher debt as the target year approaches.
Yes, but not in a discontinued children's scheme. You can choose a Life Cycle Fund with a target year matching when the money is needed, or another suitable equity or hybrid scheme. Compare costs and risk before starting.
Under the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 2026, the Base Expense Ratio (BER) is the core fund-management charge, shown separately from statutory levies like GST and stamp duty. It makes the cost you pay clearer than the older total-expense-ratio presentation.
The categorisation change discontinuing solution-oriented schemes took effect on 26 February 2026. The SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 2026 were notified on 14 January 2026 and apply from 1 April 2026.
No urgent action is forced. Review your holdings, confirm whether your SIPs are paused, and plan where future contributions go. Avoid hasty redemptions that could trigger exit loads or break a long-term goal.
To seek records from a regulator, try the AI RTI Drafter or check a reply with the PIO Reply Checker. See the RTI Act, 2005.