JoSAA Counselling 2026: Dates, Process, and Seat Allotment Details

JoSAA Counselling 2026 is the centralized undergraduate admission process managed by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) for 127 premier engineering institutes including 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 40+ GFTIs. JoSAA Counselling 2026 registration and choice filling begin on 2 June 2026 and the first round of seat allotment is scheduled for 13 June 2026, using JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026 scores.

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Overview

Particular	Details
Process Name	Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA)
Conducting Body	Joint Seat Allocation Authority
Level	National (All-India)
Mode	Completely Online
Admission Channels	JEE Main 2026 (NITs, IIITs, GFTIs) · JEE Advanced 2026 (IITs)
Participating Institutes	23 IITs, 31 NITs, IIEST Shibpur, 26 IIITs, 40+ GFTIs
Total Seats (approx.)	17,000+ IITs · 24,000+ NITs · 8,500+ IIITs · 9,000+ GFTIs
Official Website	josaa.nic.in

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Important Dates

Event	Date & Time
JEE Advanced 2026 Result Announced	Monday, 1 June 2026, 10:00 IST
Registration & Choice Filling Opens	Tuesday, 2 June 2026, 17:00 IST
Pre-payment of SAF & Document Upload Starts	Tuesday, 2 June 2026, 17:00 IST
AAT-Specific Choice Filling Begins	Starting 7 June 2026
Mock Seat Allocation – Round 1	Monday, 8 June 2026, 14:00 IST
Mock Seat Allocation – Round 2	Wednesday, 10 June 2026, 13:00 IST
Registration & Choice Filling Closes	Thursday, 11 June 2026, 17:00 IST
Pre-payment of SAF & Document Upload Ends	Thursday, 11 June 2026, 17:00 IST
Seat Allocation Round 1	Saturday, 13 June 2026, 10:00 IST
Seat Allocation Round 5 (Final for IITs/IISc)	Thursday, 16 July 2026, 17:00 IST

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Round Wise Counselling Schedule

Round	Seat Allocation Date	Last Fee Payment Date
Round 1	Saturday, 13 June 2026, 10:00 IST	Friday, 26 June 2026, by 17:00
Round 2	Tuesday, 30 June 2026, 17:00 IST	Friday, 3 July 2026, by 17:00
Round 3	Monday, 6 July 2026, 17:00 IST	Wednesday, 8 July 2026, by 17:00
Round 4	Friday, 10 July 2026, 17:00 IST	Monday, 13 July 2026, by 17:00
Round 5 (Final for IITs/IISc)	Thursday, 16 July 2026, 17:00 IST	Monday, 20 July 2026, by 17:00

NIT+ System: Withdrawal and Query Response window runs from 16 July – 21 July 2026, 17:00 IST.

Also Read : How to Fill Choices in JoSAA Smartly

JoSAA Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF)

Category	SAF Amount
SC / ST / PwD / Applicable Reserved Categories	₹20,000
GEN / OBC-NCL / EWS (All Other Categories)	₹35,000 – ₹45,000

SAF is adjusted against the institute's tuition fee. Non-payment of SAF within the deadline results in seat cancellation and removal from further rounds.

Seat Details & Reservation Categories

JoSAA 2026 offers a combined pool of 17,000+ IIT seats, 24,000+ NIT seats, 8,500+ IIIT seats, and 9,000+ GFTI seats across participating institutes.

Category	Reservation
OBC-NCL	27%
SC	15%
ST	7.5%
EWS	10%
PwD	5% (horizontal, across all categories)
GEN (Unreserved)	Remaining seats after all reservations

Seats are categorized as Gender-Neutral or Female-Only. Unfilled Female-Only seats may convert to gender-neutral as per JoSAA rules.

Als0 Read: JoSAA Cutoff 2026

JoSAA Eligibility Criteria

For IIT Admissions

• Valid JEE Advanced 2026 rank required
• Appeared in Class 12 (or equivalent) in 2025 or 2026
• Compulsory subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
• Specific marks/percentile criteria in Class 12 as per official JEE Advanced rules

For NITs, IIEST, IIITs & GFTIs

• Valid JEE Main 2026 rank required
• Passed Class 12 with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects
• One additional subject: Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or Technical Vocational
• Minimum marks/percentile rules for JEE Main 2026 apply

Selection Process (Counselling Steps)

1. Check Eligibility — Confirm JEE rank, category, and Class 12 subject eligibility
2. Register on JoSAA Portal — Log in at josaa.nic.in from 2 June 2026, 17:00 IST using JEE credentials
3. Choice Filling & Locking — Select and rank preferred college-branch combinations; lock before 11 June 2026, 17:00 IST
4. Mock Allotment Review — Analyze Mock Round 1 (8 June) and Mock Round 2 (10 June) to refine choices
5. Seat Allotment — Algorithm allocates the highest available preference; check result in JoSAA login
6. Freeze / Float / Slide — Choose to accept current seat (Freeze), upgrade to any institute (Float), or upgrade within same institute (Slide)
7. Pay Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) — Pay within deadline to confirm seat; non-payment = seat rejection
8. Document Upload & Verification — Upload scanned documents on portal; respond to any discrepancy queries promptly
9. Physical Reporting at Institute — Report before classes begin; original document verification + remaining fee payment

How to Apply

1. Visit the official portal: josaa.nic.in
2. Log in using your JEE Main 2026 application number or JEE Advanced credentials
3. Verify pre-filled personal and academic details
4. Fill choices — add dream, realistic, and backup options across IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
5. Lock choices before Thursday, 11 June 2026, 17:00 IST (auto-locked if not manually locked)
6. Pay SAF after seat allotment within the round-wise deadline
7. Upload documents and respond to verification queries
8. Report physically to the allotted institute as per schedule

JoSAA Documents Required

Common Documents (All Candidates)

• Class 10 Mark Sheet / Certificate (Date of Birth proof)
• Class 12 Mark Sheet and Passing Certificate
• JEE Main 2026 Admit Card
• Provisional Seat Allotment Letter from JoSAA portal
• SAF payment proof
• Valid Photo ID (Aadhaar / PAN / Passport / School ID)
• Category Certificate — SC / ST / OBC-NCL / GEN-EWS (latest prescribed format)
• PwD Certificate (if applicable)
• Medical Fitness Certificate (as per JoSAA format)
• Bank Passbook or Cancelled Cheque (for refunds)
• Printout of final locked choices

Additional Documents for IIT Admissions

• JEE Advanced 2026 Admit Card
• Defence Service (DS) / special category certificates (if applicable)
• Specific undertakings/formats required by individual IITs

Important Links

• • JoSAA Official Portal
  • JEE Advanced 2026 Official Site
  • JEE Main 2026 Official Site
  • JoSAA Counselling 2026 Official Schedule PDF

Final Thoughts

Begin your JoSAA 2026 preparation early, Analysis  at least 3–4 years of opening and closing rank data, keep all documents scanned and ready before 2 June 2026 and track every round deadline carefully. Visit regularly josaa.nic.in, jeemain.nta.nic.in and jeeadv.ac.in for official updates. A well researched choice list with dream, realistic and backup options gives you the best chance at your preferred institute and branch.

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FAQs

Q1. Can I participate in JoSAA 2026 with only a JEE Main rank, without a JEE Advanced rank?

Yes. Candidates with a valid JEE Main 2026 rank can participate in JoSAA counselling and apply for seats in NITs, IIEST Shibpur, IIITs, and GFTIs. A JEE Advanced rank is required only for admission to IITs.

Q2. When does JoSAA 2026 registration open and what is the last date to fill choices?

Registration and choice filling open on Tuesday, 2 June 2026 at 17:00 IST on josaa.nic.in. The deadline to complete registration and lock choices is Thursday, 11 June 2026 at 17:00 IST.

Q3. What is the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) for General category candidates and what happens if it is not paid?

General / OBC-NCL / EWS candidates must pay a SAF of ₹35,000–₹45,000 after receiving a seat allotment. Failure to pay within the round-wise deadline results in automatic seat cancellation and removal from all further counselling rounds.