IIM Raipur to Conduct JAP 2026 for MBA Admissions; Four IIMs Join New Framework

The JAP 2026 MBA admissions process will be coordinated by Indian Institute of Management Raipur, marking a significant change in how some Indian Institutes of Management handle postgraduate admissions.
Under the new Joint Admission Process (JAP) 2026, admissions will apply to four IIMs Indian Institute of Management Kashipur, Indian Institute of Management Ranchi, Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli, and IIM Raipur itself.
The participating institutes said the move aims to simplify admissions through a shared framework while preserving each IIM’s autonomy in final selection.

Common Framework, Individual Selection Criteria

According to the official notification, JAP 2026 introduces a standardised admission structure to reduce duplication and administrative overlap. At the same time, each IIM will continue to apply its own academic priorities, weightages, and evaluation parameters.

While the application and evaluation stages will follow a common path, the final merit lists will remain institute-specific. This approach allows the IIMs to collaborate without compromising their individual academic philosophies.

Officials described the framework as a balance between efficiency and institutional independence.

CAT 2025 Results Trigger Next Phase

The announcement follows the declaration of CAT 2025 results, which were released earlier this week. With the results now available, the JAP 2026 admission cycle will move into its next phase. Each participating IIM will soon publish its minimum eligibility criteria, including:

Academic benchmarks

• CAT 2025 sectional and overall cut-offs
• Category-wise requirements
• Only candidates who meet these criteria will qualify to proceed further in the process.

Mandatory JAP Registration for Eligible Candidates

Candidates who clear the minimum cut-offs must complete a mandatory registration on the JAP 2026 online portal within the specified deadline.
The institutes have made it clear that only registered candidates will be considered for shortlisting under the joint framework. Missing this step will automatically disqualify applicants from further stages, regardless of their CAT scores.
Detailed instructions, timelines, and portal links will be released shortly by IIM Raipur.

Personal Interview Rounds Scheduled for Early 2026

Shortlisting for the Personal Interview (PI) stage will take place from the pool of JAP-registered candidates. Each IIM will announce its own category-wise and institute-specific PI cut-offs.
The PI rounds are expected to be conducted between February and March 2026. Participating IIMs will release detailed interview schedules, formats, and guidelines closer to the interview window.
Unlike earlier processes, institutes may adopt offline or hybrid interview models, depending on their selection philosophy.

IIM Raipur as Coordinating Institute

IM Raipur has been designated as the coordinating institute for JAP 2026. In this role, it will manage:

• The common admission framework
• Coordination among participating IIMs
• Implementation timelines and communication
• The institute will also ensure consistency in the joint stages of the process while allowing flexibility at the final selection level.

Why IIM Raipur Moved Away From CAP

The launch of JAP 2026 follows IIM Raipur’s earlier decision to exit the Common Admission Process (CAP). CAP traditionally includes several second- and third-generation IIMs and relies heavily on online interviews.

In the previous admission cycle, IIM Raipur and IIM Sambalpur opted out of CAP, which then included 10 IIMs such as Jammu, Bodhgaya, Kashipur, Ranchi, Trichy, Nagpur and Udaipur.

Explaining the move, IIM Raipur Director Professor Ram Kumar Kakani had said the institute wanted greater flexibility to identify candidates with a strong entrepreneurial mindset—a quality he felt CAP’s online-only interviews could not adequately assess.

The institute also cited the need for profile-based evaluation and the ability to conduct offline interviews across multiple cities.

What This Means for MBA Aspirants

For candidates, JAP 2026 offers a streamlined yet selective pathway to multiple IIMs. While the common framework reduces procedural complexity, competition will remain intense due to institute-specific criteria.

Experts advise aspirants to closely track announcements from each participating IIM and prepare for rigorous interview rounds tailored to individual institutional values.

As IIMs experiment with more customised admission models, JAP 2026 could signal a broader shift in how management education admissions evolve in India.