What allotment method is used in an oversubscribed IPO?

Retail Individual Investors (RIIs):

• If the retail portion is oversubscribed, SEBI mandates a lottery-based system.
• Each investor can apply for a minimum of one lot (usually the smallest application size).
• If the number of retail investorsexceeds the number of available lots, a computerised draw (lottery) is conducted to allocate shares randomly.
• For example, if 1 lakh lots are available but 5 lakh valid retail applications are received, only 1 in 5 applicants will receive an allotment.

Non-Institutional Investors (NII or HNIs):

• HNIallotment is proportional to the number of shares applied for.
• For example, if this category is oversubscribed 10 times, each investor may receive roughly 1/10th of the shares they applied for.

Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs):

• Allocation is also proportionalbut conducted after the IPO
• Institutions like mutual funds, insurance companies, and banks participate, and their portion is generally reserved at 50% of the total issue size(for mainboard IPOs).

Employee and Shareholder Quotas:

• If there is a specific reservation for employees or existing shareholders, allocation in these categories is done either on a proportionateor lottery basis, depending on oversubscription.

Key Points to Remember:

• Oversubscriptiondoes not guarantee allotment, especially in the retail category.
• The higher the oversubscription, the lower your chancesof getting shares—unless you apply through categories with better odds (like HNI or QIB, if eligible).
• Refunds for unallotted shares are usually processed within a few days after allotment.