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In an Indian IPO, QIB, NII and retail subscription figures show how many valid shares investors bid for in each category compared with the shares available to that category. A figure of 5x means demand was five times that category’s supply—not that five times as many investors applied, that an applicant will receive shares, or that the stock is likely to rise.
What QIB, NII and retail mean
These are investor categories used in Indian IPOs. Their separate figures matter because each category has its own bidder population and allocation rules.
- QIB means qualified institutional buyer: an eligible institutional investor under securities regulations.
- NII means non-institutional investor. Under SEBI’s ICDR regulations, it is an investor other than a retail individual investor or a QIB.
- Retail refers to demand in the retail individual investor category.
For a live issue, check its red herring prospectus (RHP) or prospectus for the applicable category terms and any bid-value thresholds. Although the regulatory text displayed on SEBI’s ICDR page defines a retail individual investor by an application or bid worth no more than ₹1 lakh, a SEBI-hosted 2026 offer document uses NII bid bands above ₹2 lakh through ₹10 lakh and above ₹10 lakh. Those figures do not establish one universally current threshold for every IPO. SEBI ICDR Regulations · SEBI-hosted 2026 offer document
What a subscription multiple measures
A category’s subscription multiple compares valid shares bid for with the shares available or reserved for that same category. If bids total five times the category’s available shares, it is described as subscribed 5x. The multiple is demand relative to category supply; it is not the number of applicants who succeeded.
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For example, if a category has 100,000 shares available and receives valid bids for 500,000 shares, its demand is 5x. That does not mean five times as many people applied, since applicants may bid for different quantities. SEBI’s allocation tables set out shares offered or reserved, shares bid for, and the resulting subscription multiple. SEBI ICDR Regulations
Why category figures are separate
In the ordinary book-built allocation framework displayed in SEBI’s regulations, at least 35% of the net public offer is allocated to retail individual investors and at least 15% to NIIs; up to 50% is allocated to QIBs, including a 5% mutual-fund allocation. These are regulatory framework figures, not guaranteed proportions for every IPO: exceptions and conditions apply, and the specific offer document governs the issue. SEBI ICDR Regulations
Issue terms can also divide a category into subcategories. For example, one SEBI-hosted 2026 offer document assigns one-third of its NII portion to bids above ₹0.20 million and up to ₹1.00 million, and two-thirds to bids above ₹1.00 million, subject to that document’s terms. These are issue-specific terms, not universal NII rules. SEBI-hosted 2026 offer document
How book building affects the figures
In book building, investors bid within a price band rather than buying at a fixed offer price. They specify the price and number of shares they want; the final offer price is discovered after bidding closes. Retail investors may bid at the cut-off price, agreeing to the final discovered price. SEBI Investor: Book-building Process
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSubscription reports may show interim figures while bidding is open or final figures after it closes. When reading a number, check whether it is final or live, whether it covers one category or the whole issue, and whether the bids counted meet the applicable price condition. Issue documents describe how valid bids are used in the final category figures and allotment process. SEBI ICDR Regulations · SEBI Investor: Book-building Process
How to compare QIB, NII and retail multiples
- Compare demand with the right supply. Read each multiple against shares reserved in that same category; a 5x retail figure and a 5x QIB figure are both five times their own category’s supply, which may differ.
- Compare figures from the same point in time. Do not treat a live, mid-bidding multiple as equivalent to the final subscription figure.
- Check the price basis. Look for whether the reported demand consists of valid bids at or above the issue price or final cut-off, as applicable.
- Read the issue’s category terms. Check the RHP or prospectus for subcategories, allocation conditions and the offer route, rather than assuming every IPO uses identical rules.
- For allotment details, consult the final basis of allotment. Subscription multiples alone do not show how shares were allotted to applicants.
What subscription numbers do—and do not—tell you
A higher multiple means demand was larger relative to the category’s available shares during the period measured. It does not establish that an applicant will get shares: when demand exceeds the category allocation, allotment follows the issue’s applicable rules. Nor does a high multiple establish that the issuer is financially sound, that the offer price is fair, or that the shares will rise after listing. Subscription measures demand against supply, not future performance. SEBI ICDR Regulations · SEBI Investor: Book-building Process
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