Aditya Birla SL Nifty Next 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Aditya Birla SL Nifty Next 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹17.5251 as of 16 September 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹287 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 3.03%, 15.5% and 0%, and the fund sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that this is a portfolio for investors who are comfortable with sharp swings and want index-style exposure, but the recent return path has been weaker than the longer 3-year trend.

The fund can suit investors who want broad participation in Nifty Next 50 constituents through a direct growth plan, but the short-term numbers show that the ride has not been smooth. The portfolio is concentrated in a handful of larger positions, so the outcome may depend more on those names than on a very wide spread of holdings.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹17.5251 as of 16 Sep 2026
AUM	₹287 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.33%
Launch Date	18 Feb 2022
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Index Funds
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Mehul Dama, Priya Sridhar

The fund is managed by Mehul Dama and Priya Sridhar.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-5.5%	-4.41%
3M	-2.34%	-3.6%
1Y	3.03%	-7.76%
3Y	15.5%	5.74%
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

The recent picture is mixed. Over 1 month, the fund fell more than the benchmark, while over 3 months it held up better than the benchmark decline. That tells us the short-term pattern has been uneven rather than steadily positive.

The 1-year figure is the clearest positive for the fund, because it stayed in the black while the benchmark posted a decline. That relative resilience matters for investors who track calendar-year behaviour, even though the absolute return is still modest for an equity-oriented product.

The 3-year number is stronger than the benchmark by a wide margin, which shows that the fund has delivered a better medium-term compounding outcome than the index it is being compared against here. At the same time, the 1-month and 3-month moves show that the path has not been linear, so near-term volatility still needs to be accepted.

A 5-year return is not available because the scheme has not been running long enough to present that horizon in a meaningful way. In our view, the longer trend still matters more than the latest few months, but the recent softness suggests that investors should be comfortable with periods of drawdown before any recovery shows up.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Aditya Birla SL Nifty Next 50 Index?

A fund's past returns alone don't tell you whether you should buy it today or continue holding it.

The right decision depends on factors such as your current allocation, purchase price, risk profile, investment horizon and the role this fund plays in your overall portfolio.

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Aditya Birla SL Nifty Next 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	3.03%	15.5%	Data not available
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	29.31%	30.01%	Data not available
Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	21.45%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	21.13%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty MidSmall Financial Services Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	20.68%	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru Nifty Pharma Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	17.57%	18.84%	Data not available

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

The fund’s 1-year return trails the stronger peer figures in this comparison set, while its 3-year return is closer to the better medium-term outcomes among the available names. That creates a split story: the short-term look is modest, but the 3-year record is more respectable than the 1-year number suggests.

Compared with the funds that have only 1-year figures available, the current fund is clearly behind on recent performance. Against the peers that also publish 3-year numbers, it is still below the stronger long-term outcomes, but not by the same distance as in the 1-year view. That means the fund has been more competitive over a longer window than in the latest year.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Divi'S Laboratories Ltd.	Healthcare	4.73%
TVS Motor Company Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	4.01%
Tata Motors Ltd.	Domestic Equities	3.87%
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.	Capital Goods	3.58%
Adani Power Ltd.	Power	3.23%
Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Co. Ltd.	Finance	3.16%
Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	2.97%
Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd.	Healthcare	2.92%
Cummins India Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	2.71%
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.	Crude Oil	2.58%

The largest holding, Divi'S Laboratories Ltd., carries a 4.73% weight, so no single position dominates the portfolio on its own. The gap from the first holding to the tenth holding is moderate rather than extreme, with the tenth position still above 2.5%, which suggests the top end is spread across several meaningful names.

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 33.76% of the portfolio, so the disclosed holdings are not overwhelmingly concentrated in one or two names, but they are meaningful enough to influence performance. Because there are 50 disclosed holdings in total, the fund may still have a longer tail of positions beyond the top 10, which can help diversify idiosyncratic stock-specific risk even though the largest names remain influential.

In our view, the sector mix inside the top holdings leans toward healthcare, automobiles and capital goods, with financial and energy-linked names also present. That kind of spread may reduce the portfolio’s dependence on a single industry cycle, but the listed holdings still show enough concentration at the top that a few names could matter more than the rest in any given market phase.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

To see all holdings, visit the Aditya Birla SL Nifty Next 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who can tolerate High Risk and are comfortable with a choppy return pattern. The 3-year record is stronger than the 1-year figure, but the latest 1-month and 3-month moves show that the path can turn quickly, so a longer horizon is more appropriate than a short holding period.

It may appeal to investors who want index-based exposure and are willing to accept that near-term performance can lag or lead the benchmark at different times. The main trade-off is between keeping costs relatively low and accepting meaningful market volatility, especially because the portfolio is built around a set of larger individual stock positions.

Tax and exit load

Holding period	Tax rate	Description
Units held less than 1 year	20%	Short-term capital gains tax
Units held more than 1 year	12.5%	Long-term capital gains tax

Exit load: No exit load.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Aditya Birla SL Nifty Next 50 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹17.5251 as of 16 September 2026.

What are the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?

The fund’s 1-year return is 3.03%, its 3-year return is 15.5%, and its 5-year return is not available.

How has the fund performed against its benchmark?

The fund has done better than the benchmark over 1 year and 3 years, while the benchmark was slightly less negative over 1 month.

How does it compare with peer funds on available return data?

Its 1-year return is below the stronger peer figures shown here, while its 3-year return is more competitive than its 1-year number suggests. The comparison set also includes peers with returns that are much higher on the 1-year horizon.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Mehul Dama and Priya Sridhar. It has no exit load.

Bottom line

This fund’s recent performance is mixed, but the 3-year trend is stronger than the latest 1-year reading. Against the benchmark and the peer set, the medium-term picture is more constructive than the short-term one, even though recent returns have been uneven. The portfolio also shows meaningful weight in a handful of larger holdings, so investors need to be comfortable with stock-level influence and High Risk characteristics. It may fit a longer-horizon investor who wants index-style exposure and can tolerate periods when the fund does not move in a straight line.

Published on 17 September 2026 at 2:06 PM IST

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RIA disclosure

Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing. This review is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. (earlier known as Uniapps Global Research Pvt. Ltd.) under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639 for general informational purposes and is not personalized investment advice.