IIM Joint Admission Process (JAP) 2026: Dates, Eligibility, Registration, Participating Institutes

CAT 2025 Registration Starts

Aug 01, 2025

CAT 2025 Registration End

Sep 20, 2025

CAT 2025 Admit Card Released

Nov 05, 2025

CAT 2025 Exam Date

Nov 30, 2025

CAT 2025 Result Announcement

December 24, 2025 (Out)

IIM JAP Registration Start Date

TBA

IIM JAP 2026 Registration Deadline

TBA

JAP 2026 Interview Slot Allotment

TBA

JAP 2026 Interview Slot Allotment Deadline

TBA

IIM JAP Personal Interview Date

TBA

IIM JAP Result Release Date

TBA

IIM Kashipur

95. (Official minimum total cutoff for PI shortlisting)

INR 15.0 LPA

INR 17.30 lakh

321 (320–324) seats. (Batch size reported ~321/324.)

IIM Raipur

94 (sectional cutoffs also applied)

INR 18.1 LPA

INR 19.3–20.2 lakh

328 seats (PGP intake around 322–328; commonly reported as 328)

IIM Ranchi

94–95 (official shortlisting cutoffs referenced in the institute admission PDF; effective shortlists commonly around 94+).

INR 19.3 LPA

INR 18.9–19.2 lakh

250 seats (IIM Ranchi admits ~250 students to its MBA flagship)

IIM Tiruchirappalli (Trichy)

94–95 (institute and aggregators list 94–95 for Gen).

INR 19.3 LPA

INR 19.5 lakh

410 seats (PGPM ≈360 + PGPM-HR ≈50 → total ≈410)

Qualifying Degree

Candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree (minimum 3 years duration) in any discipline from a recognized university or institute.

IIM Kashipur, IIM Raipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Tiruchirappalli

Degrees recognized by UGC/ AICTE/ Ministry of Education (India) or equivalent foreign qualification are accepted.

Minimum Marks – General / EWS

50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA in a bachelor’s degree.

All JAP participating IIMs

The aggregate is calculated based on the entire duration of the degree, not just the final year.

Minimum Marks – NC-OBC

45% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA.

All JAP participating IIMs

Category certificate must be valid as per the Government of India norms.

Minimum Marks – SC / ST / PwD

45% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA.

All JAP participating IIMs

Reservation benefits strictly follow GoI rules.

Final-Year Students Eligibility

Candidates appearing in the final year of a bachelor’s degree or awaiting results are eligible to apply.

All JAP participating IIMs

Admission will be provisional until proof of graduation and minimum marks is submitted by the stipulated deadline.

Professional Qualifications (Alternative)

Candidates with CA / CS / ICWA (CMA) are eligible even without a traditional bachelor’s degree.

All JAP participating IIMs

A professional qualification must be completed (not intermediate level).

CAT Examination Requirement

The candidate must appear for CAT 2025 and obtain a valid overall and sectional percentile.

All JAP participating IIMs

Without a CAT 2025 score, JAP application is invalid.

Minimum CAT Cutoff (Indicative)

Overall percentile typically 94–95+ for the General category; lower for the reserved categories.

All JAP participating IIMs

Cutoffs are minimum eligibility; actual PI calls may require higher percentiles.

Sectional Cutoffs

Minimum percentile required in VARC, DILR, and QA sections of CAT.

All JAP participating IIMs

Sectional cutoffs vary by category and institute; failing any section makes a candidate ineligible.

Age Limit

No upper or lower age limit specified for MBA admission.

All JAP participating IIMs

Age does not play a direct role in eligibility or shortlisting.

Number of Attempts

No restriction on the number of CAT attempts or JAP applications.

All JAP participating IIMs

Candidates may apply multiple times across years.

Reservation Policy

Reservation applies as per Government of India norms (SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS, PwD).

All JAP participating IIMs

Valid and updated category certificates are mandatory at the verification stage.

Foreign / NRI Candidates

Must meet degree equivalence criteria and the CAT requirement (unless the institute specifies otherwise).

Select JAP IIMs

Most JAP IIMs primarily admit via CAT; GMAT-based routes are limited or not applicable.

Work Experience

Not mandatory, but relevant full-time work experience is given weightage during final selection.

All JAP participating IIMs

Internship or part-time experience is usually not counted as full-time work experience.

Stage 1

CAT 2025 Registration & Appearance

Candidates must register for and appear in CAT 2025. The CAT score forms the primary screening criterion for JAP. All applicants must meet both overall percentile and sectional percentile requirements (VARC, DILR, QA).

Stage 2

Minimum CAT Cutoff Screening

Each participating IIM sets minimum qualifying cutoffs for overall and sectional percentiles. Typically, the overall cutoff for General category candidates ranges between 94–95 percentile, with relaxed cutoffs for reserved categories. Candidates failing to meet any cutoff are eliminated at this stage.

Stage 3

Application to JAP IIMs

Eligible candidates must fill out the separate application form(s) for JAP-participating IIMs (if applicable). CAT registration alone does not guarantee consideration. Academic details, work experience, and personal data are verified during this step.

Stage 4

Composite Score for Shortlisting (Pre-PI)

A composite score is calculated to shortlist candidates for the Personal Interview (PI). This score includes CAT performance, Class 10 & 12 marks, bachelor’s degree marks, academic discipline diversity, gender diversity, and work experience. CAT usually carries the highest weightage at this stage.

Stage 5

PI (Personal Interview) Call

Shortlisted candidates receive a PI call under the Joint Admission Process. JAP enables common or coordinated interview scheduling, reducing duplication. The PI assesses communication skills, subject clarity, career goals, leadership potential, and overall personality fit for management education.

Stage 6

Personal Interview (PI) Evaluation

The PI panel evaluates candidates on multiple parameters such as confidence, analytical ability, ethical reasoning, awareness of current affairs, academic consistency, and alignment with MBA objectives. PI carries significant weightage in the final selection.

Stage 7

Final Composite Score Calculation

After PI, a final composite score is prepared. This score typically includes CAT score, PI score, academics (10th, 12th, graduation), work experience, and diversity factors. CAT weightage is reduced compared to the shortlisting stage, while PI weightage increases substantially.

Stage 8

Preparation of Merit List

Based on the final composite score, each IIM prepares its own merit list, even though the interview process is coordinated. Category-wise merit lists are prepared as per the Government of India reservation norms.

Stage 9

Admission Offer Release

Provisional admission offers are released to selected candidates. These offers specify deadlines for acceptance, fee payment, and document submission. Candidates may receive offers from more than one JAP IIM depending on merit rank.

Stage 10

Offer Acceptance & Waitlist Movement

Candidates must confirm acceptance within the given timeline. If seats remain vacant, waitlisted candidates are offered admission in multiple rounds. Waitlist movement continues until seats are filled.

Stage 11

Document Verification & Registration

Finally, selected candidates undergo document verification (academic records, category certificates, work experience proof). Upon successful verification, candidates complete registration and join the MBA course .

CAT 2025 Score

30–35%

Overall and sectional performance in CAT 2025, including VARC, DILR, and QA sections.

Clearing sectional and overall cutoffs is mandatory; a higher CAT score improves ranking but does not guarantee admission.

Personal Interview (PI) Score

30–40%

Communication skills, clarity of thought, academic understanding, career goals, leadership potential, ethics, and personality traits.

Poor PI performance can lead to rejection even with a very high CAT percentile.

Class 10 Academic Performance

5–10%

Marks obtained in Class 10 board examinations (percentage or normalized score).

Boards are normalized to ensure fairness across different education boards.

Class 12 Academic Performance

5–10%

Marks obtained in Class 12 board examinations across all streams.

Stream (Science/Commerce/Arts) is not penalized; marks are normalized.

Bachelor’s Degree Performance

10–15%

Aggregate marks or CGPA obtained during graduation.

Consistent performance across years is preferred; professional degrees are normalized differently if applicable.

Work Experience

5–10%

Length and relevance of full-time work experience (usually measured in months).

Internships and part-time work are generally not counted as full-time experience.

Academic Discipline Diversity

2–5%

Undergraduate background (non-engineering vs engineering).

Exact weightage differs slightly across IIMs.

Gender Diversity

2–5%

Candidate’s gender (typically female or non-binary).

Male candidates do not receive this weightage.

Professional Qualifications

0–5%

Qualifications such as CA, CS, CMA, or equivalent.

Must be fully completed; intermediate levels are not considered.

Category / Reservation Status

-

SC, ST, NC-OBC, EWS, PwD as per GoI norms.

Valid certificates are mandatory at verification stage.

Application Accuracy & Verification

-

Accuracy of academic, personal, and work experience details submitted.

Verification occurs before final admission confirmation.

Total

100%

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