When people say the IPO date they usually mean a small set of dates, not a single one. The opening date is the first day you can place a bid, and the closing date is the last day, normally three working days later. Between them, you can apply, modify or cancel your bid. Anchor investors bid one day before the opening date. After the issue closes, the basis of allotment is finalised, then unsuccessful bids are released, and shares are credited to successful bidders. The listing date is the day the shares begin trading on the exchange, and SEBI’s rules require this to happen within three working days after the close. Dates can shift because of market conditions, exchange holidays or regulatory comments, so always confirm them against the red herring prospectus or the exchange page. Our tracker shows open, close, allotment and listing dates side by side, and we update them when the company announces any change. Bids close at a fixed time on the last day, so apply early in the day.

Example: An IPO opens on Monday and closes on Wednesday. Anchors bid on Friday. Allotment is finalised on Thursday and the shares are listed the next Monday, within three working days of the close.