COAP 2026 Registration: The Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) 2026 has officially been launched, with Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee acting as the coordinating institute this year. COAP is a crucial platform for candidates seeking admission to M.Tech programs in IITs and recruitment in PSUs through GATE scores.
If you have qualified for GATE 2026 (or 2025/2024), this portal is essential for checking and accepting offers from top institutes like IITs and IISc.
What is COAP 2026?
COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) is an online system that allows candidates to:
- View all M.Tech admission offers from IITs in one place
- Accept, retain, or reject offers
- Compare multiple offers easily
- Track PSU job offers through GATE
Introduction for COAP 2026 Registration
The Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) was initiated in 2017 to provide a common platform for registered candidates seeking admission to make their preferred choice for M.Tech. admission. Programme in participating Institutes, or a job offer from participating Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
While eight institutes (IIT Bombay, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Indore, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee) were involved in COAP 2017, over the years, twenty-four institutes and a PSU (NPCIL) have come together to participate in COAP to fill their M.Tech. seats or job vacancies. Every year, the GATE organizing institute of the preceding year acts as the coordinating institute for COAP.
IIT Roorkee is the coordinating institute for COAP 2026. The participating institutes are: IISc Bengaluru, IIT Bhilai, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT BHU, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Dharwad, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Goa, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Jammu, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Mandi, IIT Palakkad, IIT Patna, IIT Roorkee, IIT Ropar and IIT Tirupati.
Related Article: GATE 2026 Topper List (OUT): Check AIR 1 Names, Branch-wise Toppers, Marks & Details
Note:
- COAP 2026 is a portal for M.Tech. admission offer and acceptance/ rejection by participating institutes and candidates, respectively.
- The candidate should apply separately to the respective Institute(s) for M.Tech. admission.
- Each participating institute will adhere to its respective selection procedures in accordance with its established norms and guidelines.
- Each candidate must register at COAP to review and select their most preferred offer, if any, from the participating institutes.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Candidates must be Indian Nationals.
- Candidate should have a valid GATE score (Qualified in GATE 2026/ GATE 2025/ GATE 2024)
Unlike CCMT (for NITs), COAP is specifically designed for IIT admissions.
COAP 2026 Registration Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Portal Name | Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conducting Institute | IIT Roorkee |
| Mode | Online |
| Courses | M.Tech, MS, PhD |
| Score Accepted | GATE 2026, 2025, 2024 |
| Registration Fee | Free |
| Official Website | coap2026.iitr.ac.in |
Important Dates for COAP 2026 Registration
According to official updates and recent news:
- Registration Start: March 2026 (Expected)
- Round 1 Offer Window: From May 11, 2026
- Main Rounds (1–5): May to June 2026
- Additional Rounds (6–10): June to July 2026
- Spot/Final Rounds: August 2026 (if seats remain)
COAP counselling is conducted in multiple rounds (up to 10 rounds).
Important Dates for Candidates
Schedule of Main Rounds of Offers
Table 1
Actions (Options) available to candidates
| Round No | Time window for candidates to view offers and take a decision | Accept & Freeze | Retain & Wait | Reject & Wait |
| Round 1 | May 11 (10:00 AM) to May 13 (09:00 AM) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Round 2 | May 17 (10:00 AM) to May 20 (09:00 AM) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Round 3 | May 24 (10:00 AM) to May 27 (09:00 AM) | Yes | Yes / No* | Yes |
| Round 4 | May 31 (10:00 AM) to June 03 (09:00 AM) | Yes | Yes / No* | Yes |
| Round 5 | June 05 (10:00 AM) to June 10 (09:00 AM) | Yes | No | Yes |
- *No “Retain & Wait” available for the 3rd time if the candidate selected “Retain & Wait” on the same (same Institute & Same Program) offer twice in the two previous rounds
- In Rounds 1 to 4, you may choose among “Accept & Freeze,” “Retain & Wait,” or “Reject,” but “Retain & Wait” cannot be selected more than twice for the same offer.
- “Retain & Wait” must be chosen in each eligible round. If no action is taken in a round, all offers in that round are automatically considered “Rejected.”
- Round 5 is a Decisive Round, where you can only choose between “Accept & Freeze” and “Reject.”
- Please refer to the flowchart link for details on these options, as well as the schedule for additional rounds.
Table 2
Actions (Options) available to candidates
| Round No | Time window for candidates to view offers and take a decision | Accept & Freeze | Retain & Wait | Reject |
| Round – 6 | June 13 (10:00 AM) to June 17 (09:00 AM) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Round – 7 | June 20 (10:00 AM) to June 23 (09:00 AM) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Round – 8 | June 27 (10:00 AM) to July 01 (09:00 AM) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Round – 9 | July 03 (10:00 AM) to July 05 (09:00 AM) | Yes | No | Yes |
| **Round – 10 | July 08 (10:00 AM) to July 10 (09:00 AM) | Yes | No | Yes* |
Eligibility Criteria for COAP 2026 Registration
To register for COAP 2026, candidates must:
- Have a valid GATE score (2024/2025/2026)
- Apply separately to individual IITs
- Be interested in M.Tech/MS/PhD programs or PSU jobs
COAP only displays offers. It does not replace IIT application forms.
COAP 2026 Registration Important Links
- COAP 2026 Official Portal
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/index.php - Information Brochure (PDF)
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/data/Information-Brochure-COAP2026.pdf - Important Dates (Round-wise Schedule)
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/important-dates.php - Guidelines for Candidates
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/guidelines.php - Registration / Candidate Login
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/index.php - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/faq.php - Participating Institutes / Offers Info
https://coap2026.iitr.ac.in/coap2026/
Salient Features
- COAP refers to the Common Offer Acceptance Portal, on which all Participating Institutes/ PSUs will upload their offers during the specified common time window.
- The registered candidates can access admission/ job offers by registering on COAP 2026 from all participating institutes/ PSUs where they have applied for M.Tech. admissions/ jobs.
- For admission into M.Tech. program at any of the participating institutes or applying for a job in any participating PSU, every candidate should also apply to the corresponding Institute/ PSU.
- To understand the mechanism of looking at all the available offers and making a specific choice out of the offers, the candidates are advised to read the guidelines and then register at COAP 2026.
- COAP 2026 is not an Application Portal for M.Tech. admission in any participating institute. Candidates should apply separately to the respective Institute(s) for M.Tech. admission/ PSU for the job.
- Each participating Institute/ PSU will follow the selection procedure as per the norms and guidelines of the respective Institute.
- To access and make a decision on the most preferred choice out of the offers (if any) made by participating Institute(s), each candidate should register at COAP 2026.
- COAP registration is completely free. Note that providing the COAP registration number has been made mandatory by the participating institutes in their M.Tech. application portals.
COAP 2026 Registration Process (Step-by-Step)
Follow these steps to register:
- Visit the official COAP 2026 portal
- Click on Register
- Enter basic details (Name, Email, Mobile)
- Add GATE registration number(s)
- Verify via OTP
- Create login credentials
After registration, you will receive a COAP ID, which must be used while applying to IITs.
How COAP Offer Acceptance Works
Once offers are released, candidates can choose:
- Accept & Freeze – Finalize the offer
- Retain & Wait – Hold offer and wait for better options
- Reject – Decline the offer
Important rule:
If you do not respond within the deadline (usually ~48 hours), the offer is automatically rejected.
Participating Institutes in COAP 2026
COAP includes offers from:
- All 23 IITs
- IISc Bangalore
- Major PSUs (ONGC, IOCL, NPCIL, etc.)
Some major IITs include:
- IIT Bombay
- IIT Delhi
- IIT Madras
- IIT Kharagpur
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Roorkee
Total participating institutes: 20+ premier institutes.
COAP 2026 vs CCMT (Important Difference)
| Feature | COAP | CCMT |
|---|---|---|
| Institutes | IITs, IISc | NITs, IIITs |
| Based On | GATE | GATE |
| Purpose | Offer Acceptance | Seat Allotment |
Both are required depending on the institute you are targeting.
Key Features of COAP 2026
- Single dashboard for all IIT offers
- Transparent admission process
- Multiple rounds for better chances
- PSU job offers also included
- No registration fee
COAP ensures that candidates can make informed decisions without confusion.
Important Tips for Candidates
- Apply separately to each IIT (COAP is not enough)
- Check the portal regularly during offer rounds
- Respond within deadlines
- Use “Retain & Wait” wisely
- Keep documents ready for admission
Conclusion
The COAP 2026 portal is a critical step for GATE-qualified candidates aiming for IIT M.Tech admissions or PSU jobs. With IIT Roorkee managing the process this year, candidates can expect a structured and transparent admission system.
If you are planning for IIT admission in 2026, make sure you:
- Register on time
- Track all rounds carefully
- Make smart decisions while accepting offers
FAQs (For SEO & Google Discover)
Q1. What is COAP 2026?
COAP 2026 is an online portal for accepting IIT M.Tech admission offers through GATE.
Q2. Who conducts COAP 2026?
IIT Roorkee is the coordinating institute for COAP 2026.
Q3. Is COAP registration free?
Yes, there is no registration fee.
Q4. Can I get admission without COAP?
No, COAP registration is mandatory for IIT M.Tech admissions.
Q5. How many rounds are there in COAP 2026?
There are up to 10 rounds of offer acceptance.
