Hello, I agree with you may be because of this, they process our application 3 months prior of our course start. Actually I have been research on how RICC Singapore works. It is my personal view only & I have accumulated those information from different blogs and experience shared by ex employee of RICC in different website, and survey on those students who were accepted and rejected (based on CAIP note) in last two years. Which I have come to know that, our application normally go through three process step.
Step 1# when our application reach in the RICC, initial process is taken place. E.g. do the applicant provided all required documents, applied in proper category and initial eligibility.
Step 2 # Verification of Police clearance certificate, financial certificates, Income tax certificates etc and medical test result (how submitted with application). about 70% refusal come in these step 1 and step 2. Step 1 and Step 2 process normally taken place after submission of our application, when our application pass these two steps, application gets hold for final step, and this final step starts on February for May intake, June for September intake and October for January intake. May be reason you mention earlier.
Step 3 # A VISA officer review application. Rest of 30% refusal come on this stage, if VISA officer will find our application is not relevant with our previous study/ job experience + if Study plan not convince him/her that applicant will return back to home country after complete study,and importance of that course in applicant's home country.
Correct me if you find any exception that I have mentioned above.
And hopefully our application will process on October. Best of luck you guys (including me 
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