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    Why are IIMs Opting out of the Common Admission Process 2026?

    Why are IIMs Opting out of the Common Admission Process 2026?

    #CAT
    Suvam MaitiUpdated on 25 Oct 2025, 11:18 AM IST

    IIM Udaipur became the latest IIM to opt out of the CAP 2026 (Common Admission Process as the IIM admission season 2026 is about to get started. In the recent development, IIM Udaipur announced that it will be conducting its own IIM admission process in 2026-2028. Last year, IIM Sambalpur and Raipur also opted out of the IIM CAP. However, this year, IIM Raipur, along with another three IIMs - IIM Trichy, IIM Kashipur, and IIM Ranchi, formed their own single IIM admission process - JAP 2026 (Joint Admission Process). However, apart from IIM Raipur, which opted out of IIM CAP 2025, all three IIMs were part of IIM CAP 2025 last year. Now with the announcement of JAP these three IIMs are most unlikely to remain in the IIM CAP 2026 as well. This brings us to the question of why, in recent times, IIMs are opting out of the CAP?

    This Story also Contains

    1. IIMs Opting Out of CAP 2026: Key Highlights
    2. CAP 2026: Why IIMs Opting out of CAP 2026?
    3. IIM Admission 2026: What is CAP 2026?
    4. IIM 2026 Admission: IIMs Participating in IIM CAP 2026
    5. IIM Admission 2026: Benefits of IIM CAP 2026
    6. IIM Admission 2026: What other the other option that CAP 2026?
    7. JAP 2026 Announced; IIM Raipur to Coordinate Admission
    8. JAP 2026 Announced: Key Highlights
    Why are IIMs Opting out of the Common Admission Process 2026?
    Why are IIMs Opting out of the Common Admission Process 2026?

    IIMs Opting Out of CAP 2026: Key Highlights

    • IIM CAP 2026: IIM Udaipur opted out of IIM CAP 2026 for the individual IIM Admission process 2026.

    • IIM Admission 2026: JAP 2026 announced, IIM Raipur to coordinate, IIM Trichy, IIM Kashipur, and IIM Ranchi will join.

    • IIM CAP 2025: 8 IIMs participated; IIM Bodhgaya coordinated.

    • IIM CAP 2025: IIM Raipur opted out of IIM CAP 2025.

    • IIM CAP 2025: IIM Sambalpur Opted out of IIM CAP 2025.

    • IIM CAP 2024: 10 IIMs Participated; IIM Kashipur coordinated.

    Read More: IIM Admission Dates 2026
    IIM Guwahati, India’s 22nd IIM

    CAP 2026: Why IIMs Opting out of CAP 2026?

    • Quality of the Students: IIM Raipur, which was the first IIM to opt out of the IIM CAP 2025 last year, expressed to a reputed national newspaper that the students who got in the management institutions through the Common Admission Process failed to meet the standard of IIM Raipur Admissions.

    • Failing to Match the Standard: Taking to the media, IIM Raipur director asserted that the Common Admission Process failed to bring in students with an entrepreneurial mindset. This inability to match the IIM Raipur motto of building business owners out of the students is one of the reasons that IIM Raipur opted out of the IIM CAP 2025.

    • CAP Online Interview: Besides, CAP conducts WAT and PI in an online mode. According to the IIM Raipur director, conducting CAP WAT and PI through the Online process does not allow IIM Raipur to figure out the mindset and the personality of the candidates.

    • Better Control over PI-WAT round: Thus PI and WAT round of the IIM Raipur admission process, which was conducted in offline mode, gave IIM Raipur a better hold, where they could include Industry experts in the IIM Raipur selection 2026. This process was not available for the IIM CAP.

    • Course Specific Criteria: IIM Sambalpur, which also opted out of IIM CAP, pointed out to the media that IIM Sambalpur MBA courses needed specific criteria to be matched. From IIM Sambalpur's mandatory work experience to more focus on the candidate's profile, as well as the decision to give more importance to gender diversity, led IIM Sambalpur to opt out of the IIM CAP 2025.

    • More focus on Individual Admission Process: Apart from IIM Sambalpur and IIM Raipur, this year, IIM Udaipur also decided to conduct its own IIM Udaipur Admission process 2026. In a press briefing, they pointed out that, as IIM Udaipur is gradually moving towards a globally recognised management school, the independent IIM Udaipur selection process would be a huge boost towards that global outlook.

    • Matching the Academic Aspiration: Apart from that, the independent IIM admission will also cater for the IIM Udaipur selection criteria based on the distinct strengths and values of IIM Udaipur, keeping in mind the academic priorities and aspirations.

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    Learn More: What is the difference between CAP, JAP and SAP?
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    IIM Admission 2026: What is CAP 2026?

    CAP 2026, or the Common Admission Process, is a centralised, single window selection process for the Participating IIMs in the CAP 2026. This means that rather than applying for the various IIMs, management aspirants looking for the IIM Admission 2026 can apply for the participating IIMs through a single IIM application process. Though the IIMs participating in the IIM CAP would have different IIM admission criteria 2026, the CAP CAT Cutoff 2026 would be the same.

    • IIM CAP Dates 2026: Between January 14, 2026, to May 10, 2026 ( expected)

    • IIM CAP Application 2026: The IIM CAP application will start around January 14, 2026

    • IIM CAP Conducting IIM 2026: Yet to be announced (Last Year, IIM Bodhgaya was conducting IIM CAP)

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    IIM 2026 Admission: IIMs Participating in IIM CAP 2026

    IIM CAP is one of the major selection processes in the IIM Admission 2026, along with the individual IIM Admission process 2026. However, the number of IIMs participating in IIM CAP is decreasing year by year. From the 10 IIMs participating in IIM CAP 2024, it is turning out to be that only 4 IIMs will be participating in IIM CAP 2026.

    Year

    IIM CAP 2026 (expected)

    IIM CAP 2025

    IIM CAP 2024

    No of IIM in CAP

    4*

    8

    10

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    *While IIM Udaipur has opted out of IIM CAP, IIM Trichy, IIM Kashipur and IIM Ranchi, which were part of IIM CAP 2025, have now become part of IIM JAP 2026. However, there has been no official communication about the no of IIMs participating in CAP 2026

    IIM Admission 2026: Benefits of IIM CAP 2026

    IIM CAP is beneficial for several second or third-generation IIMs regarding the IIMs selection process 2026

    1. In a discussion with a national newspaper, the IIM Nagpur director pointed out that through participating in the IIM CAP, they were able to decrease the expenditure and also made the IIM Nagpur admission process less time-consuming in 2024.

    2. On the other hand, IIM Bodhgaya director pointed out that participating in IIM CAP 2025 made life easier for the management aspirants looking for IIM admission.

    IIM Admission 2026: What other the other option that CAP 2026?

    IIM CAP is one of the 4 processes through which the 21 IIMs can complete the MBA admission process 2026. So if some of the IIMs are moving out of the IIM CAP 2026, they still can continue their IIM Admission 2026 via -

    1. Individual IIM Admission 2026

    2. IIM JAP 2026

    JAP 2026 Announced; IIM Raipur to Coordinate Admission

    JAP 2026 is the latest inclusion in the MBA admission process 2026 led by IIM Raipur. 4 IIMs- IIM Raipur, IIM Kashipur, IIM Ranchi and IIM Tiruchirapalli have announced their own separate Joint Admission Process 2026 (JAP 2026) on September 09, 2025. IIM Raipur will be the coordinator for the JAP 2026. As the IIM Admission session in 2025-2026 is about to get started, with the CAT 2025 scheduled for November 30, 2025, management aspirants now have 4 different MBA admission 2026 processes to get into the 21 IIMs in India, through the CAT 2025 score. Apart from the JAP 2026, management aspirants can get IIM admission 2026 through individual IIM admission process 2026, IIM CAP 2026, and IIM SAP 2026. The Last date for the CAT 2025 registration 2025 is September 13, 2025.

    JAP 2026 Announced: Key Highlights

    • What is JAP 2026: Joint Admission Process (2026).

    • No. of IIMs Participating in JAP 2026: IIM Raipur, IIM Kashipur, IIM Ranchi, IIM Tiruchirapalli.

    • JAP 2026 Co-ordinator: IIM Raipur.

    • JAP 2026 Accepted Score: CAT 2025.

    • JAP 2026 Dates: To be announced later.

    • JAP 2026 Application Date: To be announced later.

    • IIM JAP 2026 Cutoff: To be released later.

    • Goal of JAP 2026: Single Admission Process, Meeting IIM Standard, Transparent, Aspirant-Focused Admission.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: Is CAT score valid for 2 years?
    A:

    CAT score is valid for 1 year.

    Q: Who is eligible for the IIM Admission 2026?
    A:

    Those who match the IIM CAT Cutoff would be eligible for the IIM Admission 2026.

    Q: Can I get direct admission to IIMs?
    A:

    No, one can not get direct admission to IIMs.

    Q: Can I join IIM without a CAT?
    A:

    No, one can not join IIM without CAT 2025.

    Q: Last date to apply for IIMs?
    A:

    The last date to apply for the IIMs is September 13, 2025, which is the last 

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