Contents
Key details of the Carnelian Small Cap Fund NFO
| Fund house | Carnelian Mutual Fund |
|---|---|
| Category (AMFI) | Equity Schemes - Small Cap Fund |
| Scheme type | Open Ended |
| NFO opens | 16 October 2026 |
| NFO closes | 30 October 2026 |
| Offer price | ₹10 a unit |
| Minimum investment | ₹500 |
| Exit load | 1% if redeemed within 365 days of allotment (on or before day 365); Nil after 365 days; no exit load on switches between Carnelian Mutual Fund equity schemes |
| Benchmark | Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI |
| Fund managers | Deepak Malik and Viraj Parekh |
| Maximum expense ratio | Up to 2.10% a year, before taxes and levies |
| Scheme information document | Read on AMFI (PDF) |
What Carnelian Small Cap Fund will invest in
The scheme information document states the objective as: “The Scheme seeks to generate long-term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in equity and equity related securities of Small Cap companies.”
How it compares with existing small cap funds
- It joins 36 existing small cap funds, according to AMFI's NAV list.
- Over the past one year to 15 October 2026, the 31 with that long a record returned a median of 8.9%, from −3.7% for the weakest to 26.9% for the strongest.
- Over the past three years to 15 October 2026, the 24 with that long a record returned a median of 13.9% a year, from 4.7% for the weakest to 22.6% for the strongest.
| Period | Funds | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 31 | −3.7% | 8.9% | 26.9% |
| 3 years (per year) | 24 | 4.7% | 13.9% | 22.6% |
Direct-Growth plans. Returns are from AMFI daily NAVs, annualised for three years, and leave out figures distorted by unit splits.
Other funds’ returns do not tell you how this fund will do. They show what the category or index has delivered and how far results have varied between funds.
What to check before investing in this NFO
- The ₹10 price is not a discount. Units start at ₹10 only to set the unit count. Returns depend on how the fund's investments move, in percentage terms, exactly as for an existing fund.
- There is no track record yet. A new fund has no returns of its own to judge. The fund manager's other schemes, and how existing small cap funds have done over several years, are the closest guide.
- Overlap with what you already own. If you already hold small cap funds, or a flexi cap or large cap fund, check how much this fund's likely holdings would repeat them.
- Direct plan and costs. The direct plan pays no distributor commission, so its expense ratio is lower than the regular plan’s. Over many years the difference compounds.
- Exit load. 1% if redeemed within 365 days of allotment (on or before day 365); Nil after 365 days; no exit load on switches between Carnelian Mutual Fund equity schemes.
After the NFO closes
Units are allotted after the offer closes. The fund then publishes a daily NAV and reopens for regular purchases, SIPs and redemptions.
Once a fund has a record, Genvest Research shows its returns against its benchmark, volatility and drawdowns.
Questions people ask
The NFO closes on 30 October 2026. Fund houses can extend or close an NFO early, so check the fund house's notices close to the date.
The minimum is ₹500 during the NFO, according to AMFI's listing. Units are offered at ₹10 each.
No. The ₹10 starting price only sets the unit count. What you earn depends on the percentage change in the fund's investments, which is the same whether a unit costs ₹10 or ₹500.
1% if redeemed within 365 days of allotment (on or before day 365); Nil after 365 days; no exit load on switches between Carnelian Mutual Fund equity schemes.
The scheme information document names Nifty Smallcap 250 TRI as the benchmark.
The scheme information document names Deepak Malik and Viraj Parekh as the fund managers.
That depends on what you already own and why you would add this fund. A new fund has no record of its own, so compare it with existing small cap funds: their costs, their returns over several years and how much they overlap with funds you hold. This page explains the facts; it is not a recommendation.
Other NFOs open now
| Fund | Type | Closes | Minimum | Existing funds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Nifty LargeMidcap250 Plus 8-13 yr G-sec 70:30 Index FundHDFC | Index fund · Nifty LargeMidcap250 Plus 8-13 yr G-sec 70:30 | 19 OctCloses in 3 days | ₹100 | 2 on the same index |
| ICICI Prudential Nifty Pharma ETFICICI Prudential | ETF · Nifty Pharma | 19 OctCloses in 3 days | ₹1,000 | 2 on the same index |
| JioBlackRock Income Plus Arbitrage Omni FOFJio BlackRock | Fund of funds | 19 OctCloses in 3 days | ₹500 | – |
| Kotak Nifty 500 Index FundKotak Mahindra | Index fund · Nifty 500 | 19 OctCloses in 3 days | ₹1,000 | 7 on the same index |
| SBI BSE India Defence ETFSBI | ETF · BSE India Defence | 19 OctCloses in 3 days | ₹5,000 | 1 on the same index |
| Motilal Oswal Nifty Midcap150 Plus 8-13 yr G-Sec 70:30 Index FundMotilal Oswal | Index fund · Nifty Midcap150 Plus 8-13 yr G-Sec 70:30 | 26 OctCloses in 10 days | ₹500 | First on this index |
| quant Nifty 100 Index Fundquant | Index fund · Nifty 100 | 26 OctCloses in 10 days | ₹5,000 | 8 on the same index |
| quant Nifty 50 Index Fundquant | Index fund · Nifty 50 | 26 OctCloses in 10 days | ₹5,000 | 45 on the same index |
Sources
- AMFI new fund offer list.
- Carnelian Small Cap Fund scheme information document.
- AMFI daily NAVs to 15 Oct, for existing funds.
This page is educational research based on AMFI data and scheme information documents. It is not a recommendation to invest in any scheme, or personalised investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme related documents carefully. Past performance of other funds does not indicate how a new fund will perform. Registration granted by SEBI, enlistment with IAASB and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors.