JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) Counselling 2026
JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) Counselling 2026 is the centralized, all-India online admission and seat allocation process for the following premier government-funded engineering, architecture, and other technical institutes:
- All 23 IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology)
- All 31 NITs (National Institutes of Technology)
- All IIEST Shibpur (Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology)
- All IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology) that participate (≈26–30)
- All Other-GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes) that accept JoSAA seats (≈33–38 institutes, including SPA, PEC, BIT Mesra, Assam University, etc.)
JoSAA 2026 will allocate seats for the academic year 2026–27 (students joining in July–August 2026) purely on the basis of ranks obtained in JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026.
1. When Will JoSAA 2026 Start? (Expected Timeline)
JoSAA follows a very fixed annual calendar tied to JEE results. The most realistic projection (based on 2021–2025 pattern) is:
| Event | Expected Date / Window (2026) |
|---|---|
| JEE Main Session 2 Result | April 2026 (last week) |
| JEE Advanced 2026 Exam | Last week of May 2026 |
| JEE Advanced Result | First week of June 2026 |
| JoSAA 2026 Official Notification | First week of June 2026 |
| JoSAA Registration & Choice Filling Start | Second week of June 2026 |
| Mock Allotment Round 1 | Mid-June 2026 |
| Choice Filling & Locking Deadline | Last week of June 2026 |
| Round 1 Seat Allotment | First week of July 2026 |
| Round 1 Seat Acceptance & Fee Payment | 4–6 days after Round 1 result |
| Round 2 Allotment | Mid-July 2026 |
| Round 3–6 Allotment | July–August 2026 |
| Special Round / CSAB Special Round | August 2026 (for vacant seats) |
| Final reporting & classes start | Last week of July – mid-August 2026 |
Total number of rounds → Usually 6 regular rounds + 2–3 special rounds (CSAB) for leftover seats.
2. Participating Institutes – Seat Matrix (2026 Estimate)
JoSAA 2026 will cover ≈1.10–1.18 lakh seats across all categories and institutes (exact number released with notification).
Break-up (2025 numbers – 2026 expected similar or +2–5%)
| Institute Type | Number of Institutes | Approx. Seats (2025) | Expected 2026 Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| IITs (23 institutes) | 23 | 17,740 | 17,800–18,200 |
| NITs (31 institutes) | 31 | 24,229 | 24,500–25,000 |
| IIEST Shibpur | 1 | 718 | 720–750 |
| IIITs (participating) | 26–30 | 8,500–9,000 | 9,000–9,500 |
| Other-GFTIs | 33–38 | 5,500–6,500 | 6,000–7,000 |
| Total JoSAA Seats | ≈114–123 | ≈56,700–58,200 | ≈58,000–60,500 |
Note: Additional seats are created every year in new IITs/IIITs and supernumerary female supernumerary quota.
3. Who Can Participate in JoSAA 2026?
Two separate pools:
A. IIT Seat Pool (only JEE Advanced qualified candidates)
- Must have qualified JEE Advanced 2026
- Must be in the JEE Advanced rank list
- Category-wise rank applies
B. NIT+IIIT+GFTI Seat Pool (JEE Main qualified candidates)
- Must have valid JEE Main 2026 rank
- No need to qualify JEE Advanced
- All India rank + category rank used
Eligibility Summary
- Passed 10+2 in 2024, 2025 or appearing in 2026
- Physics + Mathematics compulsory in 12th
- Minimum 75% in 12th boards (65% for SC/ST) OR top 20 percentile in respective board (relaxed rule continues from 2021)
4. Reservation & Quota in JoSAA 2026 (Expected Same as 2025)
Vertical Reservation (All India level):
- GEN-EWS – 10%
- OBC-NCL – 27%
- SC – 15%
- ST – 7.5%
Horizontal Reservation:
- PwD – 5% across all categories
- Female Supernumerary – additional seats in most IITs/NITs (increasing female participation)
- State quota in NITs – 50% seats reserved for home state candidates
5. JoSAA 2026 Counselling Process – Step by Step
- Registration (June 2026)
- Login with JEE Main / Advanced application number + password
- Pay registration fee (≈ ₹45,000 for general, ₹20,000 for SC/ST/PwD – adjustable in seat fee)
- Choice Filling
- Choose institutes + branches in order of preference
- Can fill hundreds of choices
- Lock choices before deadline
- Mock Allotment (1–2 rounds)
- Shows likely seat based on current choices
- Candidates can modify choices
- Actual Allotment Rounds (6+ rounds)
- Round 1 → Round 6 (main rounds)
- After each round: Freeze / Float / Slide / Withdraw options
- Seat Acceptance & Reporting
- Pay seat acceptance fee (₹45,000 / ₹20,000)
- Report online / physically (depending on round)
- CSAB Special Rounds (after JoSAA ends)
- For vacant seats after JoSAA
- Separate registration & choice filling
6. Fees & Seat Acceptance (2026 Expected)
- Seat Acceptance Fee (refundable/adjustable):
- General/OBC-NCL: ₹45,000
- SC/ST/PwD: ₹20,000
- Institute Fee (at time of reporting):
- IITs: ₹1–2.5 Lakhs per semester (varies by category & institute)
- NITs: ₹60,000–1.25 Lakhs per semester
- IIITs/GFTIs: ₹50,000–1.5 Lakhs per semester
Note: Seat acceptance fee is adjusted in semester 1 fee.
7. Important Rules & Changes (Expected to Continue in 2026)
- Multiple rounds → up to 6 + CSAB special rounds
- Float/Slide → allowed to upgrade in next rounds
- Supernumerary female seats → continue in most IITs/NITs
- Domicile quota → 50% seats in NITs reserved for home state
- No spot round in JoSAA → only CSAB special rounds for vacant seats
8. Top Institutes & Branches (High Cut-off Examples – 2025 Reference)
IITs (JEE Advanced rank needed)
- IIT Bombay – CSE → CRL rank < 70
- IIT Delhi – CSE → CRL < 120
- IIT Madras – CSE → CRL < 150
Top NITs (JEE Main CRL rank)
- NIT Trichy – CSE → < 1,500–2,000
- NIT Surathkal – CSE → < 2,000–3,000
- NIT Warangal – CSE → < 3,000–4,000
TopIIITs
- IIIT Hyderabad – CSE → < 1,000–2,000
- IIIT Bangalore → < 5,000–8,000
- IIIT Allahabad → < 4,000–6,000
Top GFTIs
- BIT Mesra – CSE → < 10,000–15,000
- IIEST Shibpur – CSE → < 15,000–20,000
9. Advice for Students Waiting for JoSAA 2026
- Right now (early March 2026): No counselling has started.
- Focus on JEE Main / Advanced preparation or board exams if still appearing.
- Keep documents ready: 10th & 12th marksheet, category certificate, PwD certificate, etc.
- Bookmark www.josaa.nic.in (will activate in June 2026)
- Monitor JEE Main Session 2 result (April 2026) → it determines eligibility for NIT/IIIT/GFTI seats
Yes. If you have a rank in JEE Main 2026 or JEE Advanced 2026 and wish to gain admission into any IIT, NIT, IIIT, or GFTI, you must register and fill choices on the official JoSAA online portal. If you do not register, you will not be considered for any seat allotment.
Registration and choice filling are expected to begin in the first week of June 2026, shortly after the declaration of the JEE Advanced 2026 results.
No. There is no fee required for registration or for filling and locking your preferential choices on the JoSAA portal. A fee is only required if you are allotted a seat.
If you wish to edit your choices after locking them, you must submit an online request to “Unlock Choices” through the portal. This is only allowed before the choice filling deadline.
If you do not lock your choices manually, the last saved choices will be automatically locked by the system exactly at the deadline. This locked list will then be considered for your seat allotment. It is still highly recommended to lock them yourself to ensure accuracy.
Gemini said
JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) has not yet released the final, official FAQ document for the 2026 counselling session.
However, based on the established JoSAA Business Rules from previous years, we can provide answers to the most common queries candidates have during the process. For the absolute latest and officially binding information, always refer exclusively to josaa.nic.in.
## 1. Frequently Asked Questions: General & Registration
Q. Is it mandatory to register on the JoSAA portal if I qualified JEE Main/Advanced?
Yes. If you have a rank in JEE Main 2026 or JEE Advanced 2026 and wish to gain admission into any IIT, NIT, IIIT, or GFTI, you must register and fill choices on the official JoSAA online portal. If you do not register, you will not be considered for any seat allotment.
Q. When will the JoSAA 2026 counselling start?
Registration and choice filling are expected to begin in the first week of June 2026, shortly after the declaration of the JEE Advanced 2026 results.
Q. Is there any fee for JoSAA registration?
No. There is no fee required for registration or for filling and locking your preferential choices on the JoSAA portal. A fee is only required if you are allotted a seat.
## 2. FAQs: Choice Filling & Locking
Q. Can I change my choices after I have locked them?
If you wish to edit your choices after locking them, you must submit an online request to “Unlock Choices” through the portal. This is only allowed before the choice filling deadline.
Q. What happens if I forget to lock my choices before the deadline?
If you do not lock your choices manually, the last saved choices will be automatically locked by the system exactly at the deadline. This locked list will then be considered for your seat allotment. It is still highly recommended to lock them yourself to ensure accuracy.
Q. How should I arrange my choices?
Choices should be arranged in strict order of preference. Put your absolute dream college and branch at the very top (Choice 1). The authority considers your choices in descending order (1, 2, 3…) and allots the highest preferred seat for which you are eligible based on your rank. Candidates are advised to fill a significant number of choices (30–50+), including safe options based on previous year trends.
## 3. FAQs: Seat Allotment & Reporting Options
Q. I got a seat in Round 1, but I’m not interested in it. Can I wait for a better seat in next rounds without doing anything?
No. This is a critical mistake. If you are allotted a seat for the first time in any round, you must successfully complete online reporting to remain in the counselling process. Reporting involves:
Accepting the seat.
Choosing a willingness option (Freeze, Float, or Slide).
Uploading mandatory documents.
Paying the non-refundable seat acceptance fee.
If you fail to complete all four steps, your current seat will be cancelled, and you will be permanently eliminated from all subsequent JoSAA 2026 allotment rounds.
The non-refundable seat acceptance fee is approx. ₹35,000 for General/OBC-NCL/GEN-EWS candidates and approx. ₹17,000 for SC/ST/PwD candidates. It must be paid online via SBI Net Banking or e-Challan during the online reporting stage. This fee is adjusted against the final admission fee of your allotted institute.
