Counselling - JEE Main 2026: Exam Date, Syllabus, Eligibility, Pattern, Registration

What is the JEE Main City Intimation Slip?

The JEE Main City Intimation Slip is an official document released by NTA before the admit card. It informs candidates about their allotted examination city and exam date. The slip helps students plan travel and accommodation arrangements in advance.

For JEE Main 2026 Session 1, the city intimation slip was released on January 8, 2026. The exam is scheduled from January 21 to January 30, 2026.

Key Points About City Intimation Slip

• Released 10-15 days before the exam date
• Contains exam city name and exam date only
• Does NOT include exam centre address or timing
• Cannot be used for entry into exam hall
• Admit card is released separately 3-4 days before exam
• Download from jeemain.nta.nic.in using application number and password

City Intimation Slip vs Admit Card

JEE Main 2026 Counselling Process – Complete Overview

JEE Main counselling is conducted through JoSAA for admission to 128 participating institutes. The entire process is online and consists of registration, choice filling, seat allotment, document verification, and fee payment.

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Key Highlights

JEE Main Counselling 2026 Schedule (Expected)

Based on JoSAA 2025 schedule, the expected counselling dates for 2026 are as follows. The actual schedule will be released after JEE Advanced 2026 results.

JEE Main 2026 Counselling Registration Process

Registration for JoSAA counselling is mandatory for all JEE Main and JEE Advanced qualified candidates. The process is completely online and free of cost.

Step-by-Step Registration Process

1. Visit Official Website: Go to josaa.nic.in
2. Click Registration Link: Select "JoSAA 2026 Registration"
3. Enter Credentials: Use JEE Main/JEE Advanced application number and password
4. Verify Details: Check personal information and make corrections if needed
5. Submit Registration: Click "Confirm Registration" button
6. Proceed to Choice Filling: Start adding college and course preferences

JEE Main 2026 Choice Filling – Smart Strategy

Choice filling is the most crucial step in JoSAA counselling. Your seat allocation depends on the choices you fill and their order. Follow these strategies for optimal results.

Choice Filling Best Practices

• Fill Maximum Choices: Add at least 100-150 combinations of institutes and branches
• Priority Order: List your most preferred institute-branch combination at the top
• Check Previous Cutoffs: Research opening and closing ranks from JoSAA 2025
• Include Safe Options: Add colleges where your rank comfortably qualifies
• Lock Choices Before Deadline: System auto-locks last saved choices if not locked manually
• Use Mock Allotment: Analyze mock results and rearrange choices accordingly

Understanding Freeze, Float, and Slide Options

Expert Tip: Use Float option in early rounds (1-4) to maximize upgradation chances. Use Freeze or Slide in later rounds (5-6) once satisfied.

JEE Main 2026 Seat Allotment Rounds

JoSAA conducts 6 rounds of seat allotment. Seats are allocated based on JEE rank, filled choices, category, and seat availability. After JoSAA rounds, CSAB conducts special rounds for vacant seats.

How Seat Allotment Works

1. System considers your JEE Main/Advanced rank
2. Matches rank with your preference order
3. Allocates highest preference where your rank qualifies
4. Category quota and home state quota are considered
5. Mock allotments help predict final allocation

JEE Main 2026 Participating Institutes & Seats

JoSAA 2026 will cover approximately 128 institutes offering over 62,000 seats across various engineering programs.

Institute-wise Seat Distribution (Based on 2025 Data)

Top NITs Participating in JoSAA

• NIT Trichy (Tamil Nadu)
• NIT Surathkal (Karnataka)
• NIT Warangal (Telangana)
• NIT Calicut (Kerala)
• NIT Rourkela (Odisha)
• VNIT Nagpur (Maharashtra)
• MNNIT Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh)
• NIT Kurukshetra (Haryana)
• NIT Jaipur (Rajasthan)
• NIT Durgapur (West Bengal)

JEE Main 2026 Seat Reservation Policy

Seats in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs are reserved as per Government of India norms. Understanding reservation helps in realistic choice filling.

Category-wise Seat Reservation

Home State Quota in NITs

NITs reserve 50% seats for Home State candidates and 50% for Other State candidates. This significantly affects cutoff ranks. Home state candidates often get seats at 20-30% lower ranks compared to other state quota.

JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff – Category-wise Qualifying Marks

The JEE Main cutoff determines eligibility for JEE Advanced. Based on 2025 trends, here are the expected cutoffs for 2026.

JEE Main 2025 Official Cutoff (For Reference)

Important: This cutoff is for JEE Advanced eligibility only. Actual admission cutoffs for NITs/IIITs are released separately by JoSAA as opening and closing ranks.

Can I Apply for JoSAA with 60 Percentile?

Yes, you can register for JoSAA counselling with any percentile. However, getting a seat depends on your rank, category, and college preferences.

Reality Check for 60 Percentile

• General Category: Very unlikely to get NIT/IIIT seat. Focus on GFTIs or state colleges.
• OBC-NCL: Slim chances for lower NITs in non-core branches through CSAB special rounds.
• SC/ST: Possible to get seats in newer NITs and IIITs. SC cutoff is around 60 percentile.
• EWS: Limited options, better to explore state counselling.

Colleges Accepting 60-70 Percentile in JEE Main

With 60-70 percentile, focus on these options:

• State Government Engineering Colleges
• Private Universities accepting JEE Main scores (KIIT, LPU, SRM, VIT)
• GFTIs in later CSAB rounds (for reserved categories)
• Self-financed institutes

Is 75 Percentile Good in JEE Mains?

75 percentile in JEE Main corresponds to approximately rank 2,00,000 to 2,50,000. This is below the cutoff for top NITs but offers options in state colleges and private institutes.

College Options with 75 Percentile

JEE Main 2026 Counselling Fee Structure

JoSAA registration and choice filling are free. Fee is required only after seat allotment.

Complete Fee Structure

Note: Seat Acceptance Fee is adjustable against total admission fee. It is refundable with deductions if you withdraw before final round.

Documents Required for JEE Main 2026 Counselling

Keep all documents ready in both original and scanned format. Document verification is done online.

Essential Documents List

Additional Documents for Specific Categories

• OBC-NCL: Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued after April 1, 2025
• EWS: Income and Asset Certificate issued after April 1, 2025
• Defence/Ex-Servicemen: Relevant defence service certificate
• Foreign Nationals: Passport, OCI/PIO card

JoSAA vs CSAB Counselling – Key Differences

CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) conducts special rounds after JoSAA to fill vacant seats. Understanding the difference helps in planning backup options.

Comparison Table

CSAB Special Round Types

• CSAB Special Rounds: For vacant NIT+ seats after JoSAA
• CSAB NEUT: For North-Eastern and Union Territory candidates
• CSAB Supernumerary: For specific UTs (Andaman, Lakshadweep, etc.)

Which Counselling is Best for JEE Mains?

The best counselling depends on your JEE Main rank, category, and target institutes.

Counselling Recommendations by Rank

Common Mistakes to Avoid in JoSAA Counselling

1. Not filling enough choices: Fill at least 100+ options
2. Wrong priority order: List most preferred option first
3. Ignoring previous year cutoffs: Research OR-CR data thoroughly
4. Confusing Float/Freeze/Slide: Understand options before selecting
5. Missing deadlines: Set reminders for each round
6. Not locking choices: System auto-locks last saved choices
7. Ignoring document requirements: Keep all documents ready
8. Reporting to wrong centre: Verify reporting centre for dual reporting
9. Not paying fee on time: Seat gets cancelled if fee is delayed
10. Filling unwanted choices: Only add institutes you're willing to join

Conclusion

JEE Main Counselling 2026 through JoSAA is your gateway to India's premier engineering institutes. Success depends on thorough preparation – from understanding the city intimation slip to mastering choice filling strategies. Register on time, fill choices wisely based on previous year cutoffs, and keep all documents ready.

Key takeaways for JEE Main 2026 counselling:

• Download city intimation slip as soon as released for travel planning
• Register on josaa.nic.in immediately after JEE Advanced results
• Fill 100+ choices in correct priority order
• Use Float option in early rounds, Freeze when satisfied
• Keep all documents ready before counselling begins
• Pay seat acceptance fee within deadline to confirm admission
• Consider CSAB special rounds as backup option

Stay updated with official JoSAA website and follow all deadlines strictly. Your dream engineering seat awaits!

FAQs

Q1. What is the minimum percentile required for JoSAA counselling?

There is no minimum percentile to register for JoSAA. However, to get a seat, you need a competitive rank. For General category, around 90+ percentile is needed for NITs. Reserved categories have lower cutoffs – SC requires around 60 percentile, ST around 48 percentile for qualifying JEE Advanced. According to students on Quora, even with 75 percentile in General category, JoSAA registration is possible but getting NIT seat is unlikely without reservation.

Q2. Is JoSAA counselling registration free?

Yes, JoSAA registration and choice filling are completely free. You only need to pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (₹30,000 for General/OBC, ₹15,000 for SC/ST/PwD) after a seat is allotted to you. This fee is adjustable against the total admission fee of the institute.

Q3. Can I participate in JoSAA without 75% marks in Class 12?

Yes, if you are in the top 20 percentile of your respective board examination. This alternative eligibility criterion allows candidates who don't have 75% marks but have performed well relative to their board peers. For SC/ST/PwD candidates, the minimum requirement is 65% or top 20 percentile. Reddit users advise checking your board's top 20 percentile cutoff marks which varies annually.

Q4. What happens if I don't lock my choices in JoSAA?

If you don't manually lock your choices before the deadline, JoSAA automatically locks your last saved choices. This can be problematic if your saved order doesn't reflect your actual preferences. Many students on forums report regretting not reviewing their choices before auto-lock. Always manually lock after final review.

Q5. Can I change my choice after seat allotment?

No, you cannot add new choices after the initial choice filling window closes. However, you can rearrange the order of existing locked choices between rounds. After seat allotment, you can only choose Freeze, Float, or Slide options. You cannot add new institutes or branches.

Q6. What is the difference between JoSAA and CSAB?

JoSAA conducts main counselling for IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. CSAB conducts special rounds after JoSAA to fill vacant seats in NIT+ system only (excluding IITs). CSAB requires fresh registration and has higher processing fees. Students who didn't get seats in JoSAA or want to upgrade can try CSAB special rounds.

Q7. How many choices should I fill in JoSAA?

Experts recommend filling at least 100-150 choices. Include dream options, realistic options, and safe backup options. According to student discussions, filling only 10-15 choices is a major mistake. More choices increase your chances of getting a seat, especially if your dream options don't work out.

Q8. Is 60 percentile enough for any NIT?

For General category, 60 percentile is insufficient for NITs as it corresponds to rank above 3,00,000. However, SC/ST candidates with 60 percentile may get seats in newer NITs like NIT Manipur, NIT Mizoram, or NIT Sikkim through CSAB special rounds. Focus on state colleges or private universities for better options at this percentile.

Q9. When should I use Freeze option?

Use Freeze only when you are fully satisfied with the allotted seat and don't want any upgradation. Once you Freeze, you exit from all future rounds and your seat is confirmed. Experienced candidates suggest using Float in early rounds and Freeze only in Round 5 or 6 when satisfied or when chances of upgradation are minimal.

Q10. What documents are most commonly rejected in JoSAA?

Category certificates (OBC-NCL, EWS) are most commonly rejected due to old dates (must be issued after April 1 of current year), incorrect format, or non-inclusion of non-creamy layer clause. Ensure your OBC certificate specifically mentions "Non-Creamy Layer" and is in the prescribed central government format, not state format.