Badis pancharatnaensis is distinguished from all its congeners in having a combination of the following characters: dark brownish black bars on sides present; a series of dark blotches along middle of dorsal-fin present; a prominent black blotch on the superficial part of cleithrum present; elongate median caudal blotch with a posterior bar surrounding the caudal-fin base; pointed pelvic-fin reaching beyond vent in both sexes; pointed soft dorsal and anal-fin; 28.2- 33.8% SL body depth; 7.1-9.4% SL interorbital distance; 14-17 scales around caudal peduncle; 31-33 lateral scale rows; 6-8 gill rakers; and 28 (15+13) vertebrae (Ref. 118053).