JAP 2026 has no general deferral policy - you either join in June 2026 or forfeit your seat. Any deferral decision rests solely with the individual IIM (Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi, or Trichy) and requires extraordinary circumstances like serious medical issues with documentation. Career deferrals (waiting for a promotion, completing a current project, wanting to try CAT again) are uniformly rejected.
This is standard across almost all IIMs - the only exception is specific cases where students get scholarships for international programs that require deferral. If you convert a new IIM and subsequently get a better call (say IIM Calcutta waitlist or FMS Delhi), you must formally withdraw from the new IIM by the stated deadline and forfeit the admission fee paid (typically Rs 50,000-1L non-refundable). You cannot "hold" a new IIM seat while deciding.
For the four JAP IIMs with Rs 14L fees and Rs 17 LPA average, this means careful ranking before paying the confirmation fee. If ISB PGP-YL (pre-experience) or a foreign MBA is on your radar, plan that separately since GMAT/deferral timelines are different. Students often ask about giving CAT 2026 while at a new IIM - technically possible but you must drop out before classes start and forfeit fees.
Do not take the seat "just in case" - the Rs 1L non-refundable payment stings. Better strategy: compare all final calls in April 2026, pick your best, commit fully, and if you genuinely want a better college, retake CAT while working after graduation. Check your eligibility at collvera.