JoSAA Counselling 2026: Registration, Dates, Choice Filling, Seat Allotment & Complete Process

JoSAA Counselling 2026: Quick Overview

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Schedule

The Joint Seat Allocation Authority has released the official JoSAA 2026 counselling schedule. Eligible candidates can register online, fill and lock their choices, participate in mock seat allotments, and check seat allotment results according to the timeline below.

Candidates allotted a seat in any round must complete online reporting, upload the required documents, respond to document verification queries (if any), and pay the seat acceptance fee within the prescribed deadline. Those opting for Float, Slide, or Freeze should carefully understand these options before confirming their admission. The complete counselling schedule, reporting deadlines, and institute-specific admission instructions are available on the official JoSAA portal.

JoSAA 2026 Participating Institutes

JoSAA 2026 counselling includes 127+ premier engineering institutes across India. Admission to IITs requires JEE Advanced qualification, while NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs accept JEE Main scores.

List of IITs Participating in JoSAA 2026

All 23 Indian Institutes of Technology participate in JoSAA counselling. These include IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT BHU Varanasi, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Ropar, IIT Patna, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Mandi, IIT Tirupati, IIT Palakkad, IIT Dharwad, IIT Bhilai, IIT Goa, and IIT Jammu.

List of NITs Participating in JoSAA 2026

All 31 National Institutes of Technology participate in JoSAA counselling. Top NITs include NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal, NIT Calicut, NIT Rourkela, MNIT Jaipur, NIT Allahabad, NIT Kurukshetra, NIT Durgapur, SVNIT Surat, NIT Silchar, NIT Hamirpur, NIT Jalandhar, NIT Srinagar, NIT Patna, NIT Raipur, NIT Agartala, NIT Meghalaya, NIT Nagaland, NIT Mizoram, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, NIT Sikkim, NIT Manipur, NIT Puducherry, NIT Goa, NIT Uttarakhand, NIT Delhi, NIT Andhra Pradesh, and IIEST Shibpur.

JoSAA 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must meet specific eligibility criteria to participate in JoSAA 2026 counselling. Requirements differ for IIT and NIT+ system admissions.

Eligibility for IITs (JEE Advanced)

Eligibility for NITs, IIITs, GFTIs (JEE Main)

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Process: Step-by-Step Guide

The JoSAA 2026 counselling process involves multiple steps from registration to final admission. Candidates must complete each step within the specified timeline.

Step 1: JoSAA 2026 Registration

1. Visit the official JoSAA website at josaa.nic.in
2. Click on "JoSAA 2026 Candidate Registration and Choice Filling"
3. Log in using JEE Main 2026 Application Number and Password
4. For IIT aspirants: Use JEE Main 2026 Application Number and JEE Advanced 2026 Password
5. Verify personal details and update contact information if needed
6. Complete OTP verification on registered mobile number
7. Submit registration and save acknowledgment

Important: Registration is free of cost. No fee is charged for JoSAA registration and choice filling.

Step 2: JoSAA 2026 Choice Filling

After registration, candidates must fill their preferences for institutes and courses. Choice filling is the most critical step in JoSAA counselling.

1. Log into JoSAA portal after registration
2. Click on "Fill/View Choices" link
3. View available choices based on rank, category, and eligibility
4. Add preferred institute + course combinations using "Add" button
5. Arrange choices in order of preference (most preferred at top)
6. Save choices frequently to avoid data loss
7. Lock choices before the deadline
8. Print choice filling slip for future reference

Expert Tips for Choice Filling:

• Fill at least 100+ choices to maximize admission chances
• Include safe, moderate, and ambitious options
• Check previous year cutoffs before finalizing choices
• Place dream college at top, not randomly
• Don't fill choices you have no interest in
• Save and verify order multiple times before locking

Step 3: Mock Seat Allotment

JoSAA conducts two mock seat allocations to help candidates evaluate their preferences. Mock allotments are indicative and not final.

• Mock Allotment 1: Released approximately 7 days after choice filling begins
• Mock Allotment 2: Released 2 days after Mock Allotment 1
• Candidates can modify and rearrange choices after viewing mock results
• Final choice locking must be done before the deadline

Step 4: JoSAA 2026 Seat Allotment

JoSAA conducts 6 rounds of seat allotment based on JEE ranks, choices filled, category, and seat availability. Seat allotment results are released on the JoSAA portal after each round.

To Check Seat Allotment:

1. Visit josaa.nic.in
2. Click on "View Seat Allotment Result"
3. Enter JEE Main 2026 Application Number and Password
4. View allotted institute and course
5. Download provisional allotment letter

Step 5: Seat Acceptance (Freeze/Float/Slide)

After seat allotment, candidates must accept or reject the seat and select one of the following options:

Expert Tip: Use Float option in early rounds (Round 1-5) if aiming for better college. Freeze or Slide in later rounds when satisfied.

Step 6: Fee Payment

Candidates must pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) to confirm their seat. Non-payment leads to seat cancellation.

Payment Methods: Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, SBI e-Challan

Step 7: Document Verification and Online Reporting

After fee payment, candidates must upload documents and complete online reporting for verification.

Step 8: Physical Reporting at Allotted Institute

After final seat allotment, candidates must report to the allotted institute with original documents for physical verification and final admission.

Documents Required for JoSAA 2026

Candidates must upload scanned copies during online reporting and carry original documents for physical verification.

JoSAA 2026 Seat Matrix

The JoSAA seat matrix provides institute-wise, course-wise, and category-wise seat distribution. Total seats have increased to 62,853 in 2025.

Category-wise Reservation

JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks (Cutoff)

JoSAA releases opening and closing ranks after each round of seat allotment. Opening rank is the best rank allotted, and closing rank is the last rank at which admission was offered.

Expected JoSAA 2026 Cutoff Trends

Common Mistakes to Avoid in JoSAA Counselling

Many candidates make critical mistakes during JoSAA counselling that cost them their dream seat. Here are the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.