This guide explains how to apply for the Jio IPO, which opens on Wednesday 21 October 2026 and closes on Friday 23 October, using the rules in the Red Herring Prospectus (RHP) dated 14 October 2026. Jio Platforms filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus on 19 June 2026, and SEBI issued its observations on 28 August 2026, as Reliance Industries told the exchanges.
Page numbers below refer to the RHP. For the wider picture, see our Jio IPO overview and the Reliance Jio IPO page. This is a process guide. It does not say whether to apply.
Jio IPO key terms at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Anchor investor bidding | Monday 19 October 2026 (p. 4) |
| Issue opens | Wednesday 21 October 2026 (p. 4) |
| Issue closes | Friday 23 October 2026 (p. 4) |
| UPI mandate end time | 7:00 p.m. IST on 23 October (pp. 4, 538) |
| Price band | Not published yet. Expected by Friday 16 October, since the RHP requires publication at least two working days before 21 October (p. 13) |
| Bid lot | Published with the price band (p. 13) |
| Maximum retail bid | ₹200,000 (p. 550) |
| RIL shareholder reservation | Up to ₹25,000 million (₹2,500 crore); maximum bid ₹200,000 (p. 14) |
| Employee reservation | Up to ₹5,000 million (₹500 crore); maximum bid ₹500,000, net of Employee Discount (p. 12) |
| Basis of allotment | On or about Monday 26 October 2026 (p. 524) |
| Funds unblocked, shares credited | On or about Tuesday 27 October 2026 (p. 524) |
| Listing | BSE and NSE, on or about Wednesday 28 October 2026 (pp. 1, 524) |
| Registrar | KFin Technologies Limited (p. 4) |
Only the opening and closing dates are fixed. The RHP calls the rest of the timetable indicative (p. 525).
Before you bid
The RHP's do and don't lists (pp. 547 to 550) come down to this checklist:
- An active demat account. Shares are allotted in demat form only (pp. 535, 548).
- A valid PAN linked with Aadhaar. The PAN, DP ID and Client ID must match the depository records, or the bid is liable to be rejected (pp. 535, 548).
- For UPI, a bank that is UPI 2.0 certified by NPCI. The bank and the app or UPI handle must appear on the lists on SEBI's website, or the application is liable to be rejected (p. 547).
- Your own bank account and your own UPI ID. A third-party account or UPI ID is a ground for rejection (pp. 547, 550, 551).
- Enough balance for the full bid amount. The amount is blocked, not debited, until allotment (pp. 536, 548).
Which category are you bidding in
| Category | Who | Bid size | Cut-off price | Revise or withdraw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail | Resident individuals, Eligible NRIs and HUFs | Up to ₹200,000 (pp. 548, 550) | Yes (p. 11) | Yes, until the issue closes (p. 547) |
| Non-institutional | Bids above ₹200,000 | Above ₹200,000 | No (p. 550) | No (p. 547) |
| RIL shareholders | Individuals and HUFs who are public shareholders of RIL as on the RHP date, 14 October 2026 (p. 12) | Up to ₹200,000 (p. 14) | Yes, for bids up to ₹200,000 (p. 544) | Yes, until the issue closes (p. 547) |
| Employees | Eligible employees and directors (p. 12) | Up to ₹500,000, net of Employee Discount (p. 12) | Yes (p. 543) | Yes, until the issue closes (p. 547) |
The retail portion is not less than 35% of the Net Issue and the non-institutional portion is not less than 15% (p. 529). Our guide to IPO investor categories explains the split.
How to apply for the Jio IPO through a broker app (UPI)
Most retail bids go through a broker app using UPI. Each broker lays out its screens differently, so the order below follows the RHP's rules, not any one app.
- Open the IPO listing in your broker app and choose your category: retail, or the RIL shareholder or employee category if you qualify.
- Enter the quantity in lots and the price. Bid within the price band (p. 547). Retail, employee and RIL shareholder bidders can choose the cut-off price, which means accepting whatever final price is set (pp. 11, 543, 544).
- Enter your own UPI ID, linked to your own bank account (p. 547).
- Submit the bid. Your bank's UPI app sends a mandate request to your phone.
- Open the request, check the application details attached to it, and approve it with your UPI PIN (p. 549). Until you approve it, the money is not blocked and the bid does not count.
- Keep the application number. The RHP tells bidders to get an acknowledgement for each bid (p. 548).
- If you revise the bid, approve the new mandate request too (p. 549).
Do not submit more than one form from the same UPI ID, or more than one form per ASBA account (p. 550).
Not sure which route fits you? See UPI vs ASBA vs broker platforms and our general guide on how to apply for an IPO online.
How to apply through your bank (ASBA)
ASBA means "Application Supported by Blocked Amount". Your bank blocks the bid amount in your account until allotment. Retail bidders who do not use UPI can authorise their bank to block the funds, physically or online, or use a 3-in-1 account from a broker (p. 536).
- Log in to your bank's net banking or mobile banking and open the IPO section, or submit an ASBA form at a branch of your bank (p. 536).
- Give your demat details, PAN, bid quantity, price and the bank account to be blocked.
- Authorise the bank to block the full bid amount. This is the signed authorisation box on the form, or the electronic equivalent (p. 549).
- Keep the stamped acknowledgement or the application number (p. 548).
- For a physical form, check that it carries the stamp of the bank or intermediary. A form without the stamp can be rejected (pp. 536, 550).
Bids above ₹500,000 are uploaded only by the banks that act as SCSBs (p. 549).
How to apply as an RIL shareholder
The reservation is for individuals and HUFs who are public equity shareholders of Reliance Industries as on the RHP date, 14 October 2026 (p. 12). Our explainer covers eligibility and the RHP's rules. The steps:
- Make sure your PAN is updated in RIL's register of members or in the depositories' register of beneficial owners, and that you have a demat account (p. 544).
- Pick the RIL shareholder category in your broker app, or use the green Bid cum Application Form for this category (p. 536).
- Bid for no more than ₹200,000. The minimum bid is not stated yet and is published with the price band (pp. 13, 543).
- Pay through ASBA or UPI (p. 544). Bids at or above the issue price are considered, and the cut-off price is available for bids up to ₹200,000 (p. 544).
- For joint holders, the first bidder must be the eligible shareholder (p. 543).
The reservation is up to ₹25,000 million. If demand is at or below its size, allotment is in full to the extent of demand. If demand is higher, allotment is proportionate (p. 544).
How to apply as an employee
Eligible employees are permanent employees of Jio Platforms, its promoter or its subsidiaries, excluding anyone on a notice period, as of the date the RHP was filed with the RoC. Eligible directors can also apply (p. 12). They bid in the employee reservation of up to ₹5,000 million, on the pink form for that category, for up to ₹500,000 net of the Employee Discount (pp. 12, 536, 543).
The Employee Discount is up to 10% of the issue price. Its amount will be announced at least two working days before the issue opens (pp. 12 to 13). Bids above ₹200,000 are counted as ₹200,000 when deciding whether the employee portion is over or undersubscribed, and the initial allotment does not exceed ₹200,000 (pp. 12, 530). Employees can use UPI and the cut-off price (p. 543). In a joint bid, the first bidder must be the eligible employee (p. 543).
Can I bid in more than one category
An eligible RIL shareholder can also bid in the retail or non-institutional portion, and in the employee portion if eligible. An eligible employee can bid in the net issue and in the RIL shareholder portion if eligible. The RHP says such bids are not treated as multiple bids, subject to applicable limits, and that the company can reject multiple bids in any category at its absolute discretion (p. 543). It states no combined cap. It also says not to use one UPI ID for more than one form and not to put more than one form on an ASBA account (p. 550). The RIL shareholder article has the detail.
Cut-off time on the last day
The issue closes on Friday 23 October 2026. The RHP gives one clock for electronic bids:
- Electronic bids from retail investors, employees, RIL shareholders, QIBs and non-institutional investors are accepted from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. IST on the closing day (pp. 525 to 526).
- The UPI mandate end time is 7:00 p.m. IST that day (pp. 4, 538).
- Physical forms submitted to banks, and syndicate non-retail applications, are accepted only until 1:00 p.m. IST (p. 525).
- The RHP advises bidders to submit bids one day before the closing date and in any case no later than 12:00 noon IST on the closing day, because some bids may not get uploaded if many arrive late (p. 526).
- Do not submit a bid after 7:00 p.m. IST on the closing day (p. 550). A bid uploaded after that time is a ground for rejection, unless the stock exchanges extend the time. They can extend it only for uploading bids from retail investors, employees and RIL shareholders (pp. 551 to 552).
This is a description of the rules, not investment advice.
Why Jio IPO applications get rejected
The RHP lists technical grounds for rejection (p. 551). Common ones for individual bidders:
- A bid with no instruction to block the full amount, or without bank account or UPI details.
- A bid made through a UPI handle, app or bank that is not on SEBI's list.
- A third-party bank account or UPI ID.
- A DP ID, Client ID or PAN that does not match the depository records, or a suspended demat account (pp. 548, 551).
- A retail bid above ₹200,000.
- A form on plain paper, without the intermediary's stamp, or without the first bidder's signature.
- A bid uploaded after 7:00 p.m. IST on the closing day.
If your application is rejected or the payment fails, read what to do if your IPO application is rejected.
After you apply
The basis of allotment is finalised by the designated stock exchange together with the lead managers and the registrar (p. 552). The RHP expects it on or about Monday 26 October 2026. Funds for bids that are not allotted are unblocked, and shares are credited to demat accounts, on or about Tuesday 27 October (p. 524).
You can check your status on the registrar's site (KFin Technologies, p. 4) or through our allotment page. Our guide to checking allotment with every registrar shows the steps. If unblocking is delayed by more than two working days after the issue closes, the RHP says the bidder is compensated at ₹100 per day or 15% per annum of the application amount, whichever is higher, for the delay beyond two working days, by the intermediary responsible (pp. 525, 552).
What is not known yet
The price band, the lot size, the minimum bid for each category, the number of shares in the two reservations and the Employee Discount amount are blank in the RHP until the price band is published (pp. 13, 529, 543). Check the price band advertisement and your broker's screen for the final figures.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the Jio IPO with UPI?
Yes. Retail bidders, employees and RIL shareholders can bid through ASBA, including the UPI mechanism (pp. 535, 543, 544). Use your own UPI ID, and approve the mandate request on your phone before 7:00 p.m. IST on 23 October (p. 538).
What is the minimum and maximum investment for retail investors?
The maximum retail bid is ₹200,000 (p. 550). A bid above that amount falls into the non-institutional category (p. 548). The minimum is one lot. The lot size is published with the price band, expected by Friday 16 October (p. 13).
Can I withdraw my bid?
Retail, employee and RIL shareholder bidders can revise or withdraw bids until the issue closes. Non-institutional and QIB bidders cannot withdraw or lower their bids (p. 547).
How do I apply as an RIL shareholder?
Use the RIL shareholder category, with your PAN updated in RIL's records, and bid up to ₹200,000 (pp. 14, 544). See the step-by-step section above and our eligibility explainer.
What does the cut-off price mean?
It means you accept the final issue price set by the company within the band. It is open to retail, employee and RIL shareholder bidders, and not to non-institutional bidders (pp. 11, 550). The RHP does not say whether to use it, and neither does this guide.
Source: Jio Platforms Limited, Red Herring Prospectus dated 14 October 2026 (page numbers refer to that document). Reliance Industries Limited, disclosure to BSE and NSE dated 28 August 2026. Terms can change. This article is for information and is not investment advice. Read the offer document before making any decision. Investments in securities are subject to market risk.