Let’s begin with a real-world example that shows why 3-year SIPs are often misunderstood. Reena began a ₹10,000 monthly SIP for a goal just three years away. She chose a “top-performing” equity fund, felt confident, and did everything right — at least on paper. Two years later, the market corrected. Her Portfolio was in the red exactly when she needed the money. The problem wasn’t SIPs. The problem was using a long-term equity strategy for a short-term goal.

A 3-year SIP follows very different rules. Ignore them, and even disciplined Investing can backfire. This guide explains how SIPs actually work for 3-year goals — what to choose, what to avoid, and how Indian investors should think about risk, returns, and timelines.
Yes — but only if chosen correctly!
A 3-year period is considered short to medium term in Mutual Fund Investing. Equity markets can deliver strong returns over 7–10 years, but in 3 years, Volatility plays a much bigger role. So the goal is not maximum return, but -
SIP works well here only when the fund category matches the time horizon.
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Let’s set realistic expectations -
| Fund Type | Expected Annual Return (Indicative) |
|---|---|
| Aggressive Hybrid / Equity-Oriented | 8% – 12% |
| Conservative Hybrid | 6% – 9% |
| Short Duration / Corporate bond | 5.5% – 7.5% |
| Equity (Pure Large/Multi Cap) | Can be +15% OR negative |
Key insight - In a 3-year SIP, risk matters more than return ranking.
These funds invest -
Best for - Moderate-risk investors planning goals like car purchase, partial house down payment, or business capital.
Pure Equity Funds can be used only if -
Avoid - small cap and thematic funds for 3-year goals — too volatile.
These funds hold -
Why consider them?
Ideal for - First-time investors or conservative savers shifting from FDs.
If your priority is safety + predictability, debt-oriented SIPs can be used.
Good choice when -
Fund Selection Methodology used to find 10 funds
Fund NAV Net Assets (Cr) 3 MO (%) 6 MO (%) 1 YR (%) 3 YR (%) 5 YR (%) 2024 (%) Invesco India Growth Opportunities Fund Growth ₹100.72
↓ -0.48 ₹9,406 1.6 -0.7 4.1 24.1 20 37.5 Bandhan Core Equity Fund Growth ₹139.324
↓ -0.46 ₹12,784 4.7 4.3 7.1 23.8 22.2 28.8 UTI Core Equity Fund Growth ₹187.1
↓ -0.88 ₹5,498 6.9 3 6.8 22.7 22.2 27.2 Nippon India Value Fund Growth ₹230.877
↓ -1.01 ₹9,246 3.6 1.3 3.5 22.2 21.9 22.3 Nippon India Multi Cap Fund Growth ₹299.951
↓ -1.03 ₹50,048 1 -0.6 3.7 22.2 25.4 25.8 Motilal Oswal Multicap 35 Fund Growth ₹60.4848
↓ -0.47 ₹14,312 0.3 -3.6 -4.5 22.1 15.5 45.7 IDBI India Top 100 Equity Fund Growth ₹44.16
↑ 0.05 ₹655 9.2 12.5 15.4 21.9 12.6 ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund Growth ₹496.92
↓ -1.57 ₹60,391 6.3 5 13.1 21.7 23.5 20 HDFC Equity Fund Growth ₹2,060.75
↓ -6.24 ₹94,069 2.6 3.1 10.7 21.6 23.9 23.5 ICICI Prudential Large & Mid Cap Fund Growth ₹1,043.18
↓ -2.25 ₹26,939 4.2 3.7 12.9 21.4 23.2 20.4 Note: Returns up to 1 year are on absolute basis & more than 1 year are on CAGR basis. as on 26 Dec 25 Research Highlights & Commentary of 10 Funds showcased
Commentary Invesco India Growth Opportunities Fund Bandhan Core Equity Fund UTI Core Equity Fund Nippon India Value Fund Nippon India Multi Cap Fund Motilal Oswal Multicap 35 Fund IDBI India Top 100 Equity Fund ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund HDFC Equity Fund ICICI Prudential Large & Mid Cap Fund Point 1 Lower mid AUM (₹9,406 Cr). Lower mid AUM (₹12,784 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹5,498 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹9,246 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹50,048 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹14,312 Cr). Bottom quartile AUM (₹655 Cr). Top quartile AUM (₹60,391 Cr). Highest AUM (₹94,069 Cr). Upper mid AUM (₹26,939 Cr). Point 2 Established history (18+ yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Established history (16+ yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Established history (20+ yrs). Established history (11+ yrs). Established history (13+ yrs). Established history (21+ yrs). Oldest track record among peers (31 yrs). Established history (27+ yrs). Point 3 Top rated. Rating: 4★ (upper mid). Rating: 3★ (upper mid). Not Rated. Rating: 2★ (bottom quartile). Rating: 5★ (top quartile). Rating: 3★ (upper mid). Rating: 2★ (bottom quartile). Rating: 3★ (lower mid). Rating: 3★ (lower mid). Point 4 Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Risk profile: Moderately High. Point 5 5Y return: 20.00% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 22.25% (upper mid). 5Y return: 22.20% (lower mid). 5Y return: 21.87% (lower mid). 5Y return: 25.41% (top quartile). 5Y return: 15.53% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 12.61% (bottom quartile). 5Y return: 23.48% (upper mid). 5Y return: 23.88% (top quartile). 5Y return: 23.22% (upper mid). Point 6 3Y return: 24.09% (top quartile). 3Y return: 23.84% (top quartile). 3Y return: 22.68% (upper mid). 3Y return: 22.24% (upper mid). 3Y return: 22.24% (upper mid). 3Y return: 22.12% (lower mid). 3Y return: 21.88% (lower mid). 3Y return: 21.75% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 21.61% (bottom quartile). 3Y return: 21.38% (bottom quartile). Point 7 1Y return: 4.06% (lower mid). 1Y return: 7.08% (upper mid). 1Y return: 6.75% (lower mid). 1Y return: 3.50% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 3.65% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: -4.46% (bottom quartile). 1Y return: 15.39% (top quartile). 1Y return: 13.07% (top quartile). 1Y return: 10.68% (upper mid). 1Y return: 12.95% (upper mid). Point 8 Alpha: 2.54 (upper mid). Alpha: 0.27 (lower mid). Alpha: -1.49 (bottom quartile). Alpha: -1.42 (bottom quartile). Alpha: -0.86 (lower mid). Alpha: -5.55 (bottom quartile). Alpha: 2.11 (upper mid). Alpha: 4.42 (top quartile). Alpha: 3.46 (upper mid). Alpha: 3.94 (top quartile). Point 9 Sharpe: 0.31 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.20 (lower mid). Sharpe: 0.08 (lower mid). Sharpe: -0.01 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.06 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: -0.21 (bottom quartile). Sharpe: 1.09 (top quartile). Sharpe: 0.50 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.42 (upper mid). Sharpe: 0.51 (top quartile). Point 10 Information ratio: 0.98 (upper mid). Information ratio: 1.33 (top quartile). Information ratio: 0.79 (lower mid). Information ratio: 1.63 (top quartile). Information ratio: 0.71 (lower mid). Information ratio: 0.66 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 0.14 (bottom quartile). Information ratio: 1.05 (upper mid). Information ratio: 1.30 (upper mid). Information ratio: 0.46 (bottom quartile). Invesco India Growth Opportunities Fund
Bandhan Core Equity Fund
UTI Core Equity Fund
Nippon India Value Fund
Nippon India Multi Cap Fund
Motilal Oswal Multicap 35 Fund
IDBI India Top 100 Equity Fund
ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Fund
HDFC Equity Fund
ICICI Prudential Large & Mid Cap Fund
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A 3-year SIP is not about maximising returns. It is about protecting capital, beating inflation, and staying disciplined. If chosen wisely, SIPs can still outperform traditional options — without exposing you to unnecessary risk.
Really very informative
Knowing more