CAT Exam: As the admissions procedure for the esteemed Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) continues to change, candidates in the 2026 cycle will face an additional level of difficulty. This year sees the launch of the Joint Admission Process (JAP) 2026, founded by four second-generation IIMs: Raipur, Kashipur, Ranchi, and Tiruchirappalli. These institutes have agreed to break away from the established Common Admission Process (CAP) utilized in 2025, with IIM Raipur directing the new group.
Unlike the IITs, the IIMs lack a common counselling infrastructure, leaving each university to independently administer admissions after the initial Common Admission Test (CAT). The absence of a single platform is still problematic even though the collaborative efforts are intended to simplify the procedure and lessen duplication for candidates.
For 2026, the landscape is fractured: IIM Udaipur, previously part of CAP, will now hold its own process. IIM Jammu confirmed its participation in CAP, though the position of IIMs Bodh Gaya, Nagpur, and Sirmaur is questionable. Additionally, some of the more recent IIMs, such Indore, Lucknow, and Kozhikode, as well as the more established, older ones, like Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta, nevertheless run their operations independently.
CAT Exam: Common Admission in IIMs
Admission to the flagship Post Graduate Programme (PGP) or MBA programs provided by the 21 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) requires passing the Common Admission Test (CAT), a nationwide entrance exam. All IIMs use the CAT score as their main criterion for shortlisting applicants for the final rounds of selection.
All IIMs share the CAT exam, but the ensuing admissions procedure is not standardized, creating a disjointed system with two main joint processes and numerous independent rounds.
Key Features of CAT and IIM Admissions
The Common Admission Test (CAT)
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Every year, one of the older IIMs (on a rotating basis) administers the computer-based, timed CAT, which is usually held in late November.
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The goal is to evaluate a candidate's competency in three areas that are thought to be crucial for management education: quantitative aptitude (QA), data interpretation and logical reasoning (DILR), and verbal ability and reading comprehension (VARC).
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Mandate: To apply and be considered for admission to the PGP/MBA programs at all 21 IIMs, one must have a valid CAT score.
The Fragmented Admission Process
IIMs oversee their own admissions outside of the CAT, and they can be broadly divided into three categories:
| Group | Participating IIMs (Examples) | Admission Process | CAT Cutoff (General Category) |
| Independent Processes | IIM Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore, Kozhikode, Shillong, Udaipur, etc. | Each IIM conducts its own separate Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI) process. | 98 - 99.5+ percentile |
| Common Admission Process (CAP) | IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Nagpur, IIM Sirmaur. | A unified selection round coordinated by one IIM for multiple participating IIMs, requiring a single PI/WAT appearance. | 92 - 95 percentile |
| Joint Admission Process (JAP) | IIM Raipur, IIM Kashipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Tiruchirappalli (Trichy). | A new unified process (starting 2026) that allows candidates to apply to these four IIMs through a single portal and attend a single PI/WAT round. | ∼95 percentile |
The New Joint Admission Process (JAP) 2026
A major change has occurred with the introduction of the Joint Admission Process (JAP) 2026, which is organized by IIM Raipur.
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Participants: IIM Raipur, IIM Kashipur, IIM Ranchi, and IIM Tiruchirappalli were the participants.
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Goal: The objective is to make the process easier for candidates by eliminating the need for them to attend several PI/WAT rounds and submit different applications.
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Procedure: Shortlisted candidates register on the single JAP portal, attend one combined interview round, and the scores are subsequently shared among the four participating IIMs. Each IIM then makes its final offer based on its internal weightage methodology.
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