Is the APAAR ID mandatory for JAP 2026 IIM applications?

APAAR ID is mandatory for filling the JAP 2026 form - no ID means no registration means no shortlist means no admission. APAAR (Academic Bank of Credits Permanent Account Registry) is a government-issued academic ID linked to your DigiLocker and educational credits. Get it via the official APAAR portal or through your current/past institution before CAT results are declared in January

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1. The process takes 2-4 weeks sometimes since it requires KYC verification. Students in final year, working professionals, and those in gap years all need APAAR - there is no exemption. If your undergraduate college has not onboarded to APAAR yet, push them or use the self-registration route through ABC India. Once you have APAAR, save the 12-digit ID - you will need it at every stage of the admission cycle and document verification at joining. This is part of the government's push to digitize academic records and prevent credential fraud - fake marksheet cases have been detected at multiple IIMs in recent years, leading to expulsions. For the four JAP IIMs - Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi (Rs 14L fees, Rs 17 LPA avg), and Trichy - missing the APAAR field auto-rejects your form. If you are applying to IIM Ahmedabad (Rs 27.5L fees) or IIM Bangalore (Rs 26.2L fees) separately too, they also now require APAAR. Get this done early - November 2025 is the right window before the JAP registration opens post-results. Check your eligibility at collvera.com/eligibility