IBBI Notifies Panel of Insolvency Professionals and IPEs for Appointments under the IBC (Valid January–June 2026): Structure, Criteria, and Regulatory Significance
- REEDLAW
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The REEDLAW Legal News Network reports: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), on 16 January 2026, published the updated panel of Insolvency Professional Entities (IPEs) and Insolvency Professionals (IPs) for appointment as Interim Resolution Professionals (IRPs), Resolution Professionals (RPs), Liquidators, and Bankruptcy Trustees (BTs) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (“the Code”). This panel has been prepared in accordance with the Insolvency Professionals to act as Interim Resolution Professionals, Liquidators, Resolution Professionals and Bankruptcy Trustees (Recommendation) (Second) Guidelines, 2025, and shall remain valid for the period from 16 January 2026 to 30 June 2026. The publication of this panel is a significant administrative step aimed at ensuring transparency, objectivity, and procedural uniformity in the appointment of insolvency professionals across insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings.
The panel comprises a total of 1,242 professionals, consisting of 1,183 individual Insolvency Professionals and 59 Insolvency Professional Entities registered as IPs. This reflects the growing institutionalisation of the insolvency ecosystem, where both individuals and professional entities are recognised as eligible to discharge statutory functions under the Code. The inclusion of IPEs acknowledges the increasing complexity of insolvency processes and the need for structured, team-based professional execution in large and multi-layered insolvency assignments.
A notable feature of the 2026 panel is the introduction of zonal classification for individual IPs. In addition to their existing bench-wise classifications, IPs have now been categorised into four geographical zones: North, South, East, and West. This zonal mapping is intended to facilitate region-specific appointments, promote administrative efficiency, and ensure balanced utilisation of professionals across the country. It also assists Adjudicating Authorities and stakeholders in identifying professionals with practical familiarity with regional commercial, industrial, and judicial environments.
Another important advancement is the incorporation of the sectoral experience of Insolvency Professionals. The panel now records the experience of IPs across identified industrial and economic sectors, based on both ongoing and completed assignments. However, for the purpose of sorting and presentation, only ongoing assignments have been considered. Where an IP has neither ongoing nor completed assignments, the sectoral experience is reflected as “NIL”. This inclusion enhances the informational value of the panel by enabling stakeholders to identify professionals with domain-specific experience, which is increasingly relevant in complex CIRP matters involving specialised industries such as infrastructure, real estate, power, manufacturing, or financial services.
The sorting methodology adopted in the panel is purely mechanical and objective. IPs are arranged in descending order based on the total number of ongoing assignments held in aggregate, including assignments as IRP, RP, Liquidator, and BT. Where two or more IPs have an equal number of ongoing assignments, the sorting is done by their registration numbers in ascending order. IBBI has categorically clarified that this sorting mechanism is only for presentation and convenience and does not reflect the seniority, competence, professional merit, or efficiency of any Insolvency Professional. It merely serves as a neutral data arrangement framework.
The panel further provides a detailed assignment-wise breakdown, including:
Number of ongoing assignments as IRP, RP, and Liquidator in Corporate Insolvency Resolution Processes (CIRP),
Number of ongoing assignments as RP in Individual Insolvency and as Bankruptcy Trustee,
Total number of completed assignments across categories.
This granular disclosure enables Adjudicating Authorities, creditors, and stakeholders to assess the professional workload and experience profile of each IP or IPE before recommending or appointing them under the Code.
The panel must be read in conjunction with Regulation 7B of the IBBI (Insolvency Professionals) Regulations, 2016, which prescribes a statutory ceiling on the number of assignments that an individual Insolvency Professional (not being an IPE) may hold simultaneously. As per this provision, an IP shall not hold more than ten ongoing assignments in aggregate as IRP or RP in CIRP and as Liquidator in liquidation proceedings. Further, out of these ten assignments, not more than three may be such that the admitted claims exceed ₹1,000 crore each. This restriction is designed to ensure effective case management, prevent overburdening of professionals, and safeguard the quality and efficiency of insolvency administration.
The Regulation also provides that if an IP is already exceeding the prescribed limit, such IP shall not accept any new assignment until the number of ongoing assignments falls below the statutory ceiling. This operates as a self-correcting mechanism to ensure compliance and maintain systemic discipline within the insolvency framework. Importantly, these numerical limits do not apply to Insolvency Professional Entities in the same manner, as IPEs function through structured teams and internal resource allocation.
The enclosed list of empanelled IPs thus serves multiple regulatory and practical objectives. It standardises the recommendation process for appointments, enhances transparency in professional deployment, introduces sectoral and zonal intelligence into the insolvency ecosystem, and reinforces compliance with workload regulations under the Code. Collectively, the 2026 panel reflects IBBI’s continued effort to strengthen institutional capacity, improve accountability, and promote a more informed, data-driven approach to insolvency professional appointments in India.
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