Missing the JAP 2026 registration deadline means instant loss of candidature across all four IIMs - Kashipur, Raipur, Ranchi, and Trichy - with no appeal. The registration window opens after CAT 2025 results (typically early January 2026) and closes within a fixed timeframe announced on the JAP portal. Even candidates who clear the CAT and academic cutoffs lose their chance if they do not register online during this window.
This is a hard rule - JAP treats registration as a mandatory active consent step, not an automatic progression. Students applying to multiple IIMs during result frenzy sometimes assume JAP works like ABC or CAP (Common Admission Process for baby IIMs), which it does not. Check your JAP email daily between January 5-25, 2026 and your CAT account for the invitation.
Once you get the invite, register within 48 hours rather than waiting. If you miss it, your only option is to give CAT again in November 2026 - a 12-month drop costing Rs 10-15L in lost earnings plus the emotional toll of restarting prep. At these new IIMs with Rs 14L fees and Rs 17 LPA average, a drop year is rarely worth it unless you are confidently targeting IIM Kozhikode (Rs 24L, Rs 28 LPA) or better.
Set 3 calendar alerts, check the portal directly, and register the moment the email hits - do not trust the email delivery alone since promotional filters eat admission emails often. Check your eligibility at collvera.