Quick answer
JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) runs one combined online counselling for IITs (on JEE Advanced rank) and NITs, IIITs and GFTIs (on JEE Main rank). You register and fill one ordered list of choices in June, then seats are allotted over five rounds. In each round you accept your seat with Freeze, Float or Slide, pay the seat acceptance fee (₹30,000; ₹15,000 for SC/ST/PwD in 2026) and upload documents. Vacant NIT+ seats then go to the CSAB special rounds.
How JoSAA works, step by step
- Register and fill choices on josaa.nic.in after the JEE Advanced result. Add every programme you would genuinely accept, in your real order of preference. See our choice-filling guide and list builder.
- Check the two mock allocations. They show where your current list would place you. Adjust the order, then lock your choices before the deadline (they are locked automatically at the end).
- Seat allocation, Round 1. If you get a seat, accept it with Freeze, Float or Slide, pay the seat acceptance fee and upload your documents. Answer any query by the deadline, or the seat is cancelled.
- Rounds 2 to 5. With Float or Slide you can move up your list automatically. You can withdraw or exit only before the last round (rules below).
- NIT+ seats: pay the Partial Admission Fee after Round 5, then report to the institute when it asks.
- Still no seat? Register afresh for the CSAB special rounds (NIT+ seats only) and check state counselling.
JoSAA 2026 schedule (for reference)
| Stage | JoSAA 2026 |
|---|---|
| Registration and choice filling | 2 – 11 June |
| Mock allocations | 8 and 10 June |
| Round 1 result | 13 June |
| Round 2 | 30 June |
| Round 3 | 6 July |
| Rounds 4 and 5 | July |
| CSAB special rounds (NIT+) | From late July |
JoSAA 2027 is expected on a similar timeline after the JEE Advanced 2027 result. The official schedule is published on josaa.nic.in before registration opens.
Fees during JoSAA
| Fee (JoSAA 2026) | SC / ST / PwD | Everyone else | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat acceptance fee | ₹15,000 | ₹30,000 | Paid once, in the round you first accept a seat. Includes ₹5,000 JoSAA processing charges; the rest is adjusted against institute fees. |
| Partial admission fee (NIT+ only) | ₹20,000 | ₹45,000 | Paid after Round 5 for a NIT+ seat. Adjusted against institute fees; not refundable. Not paying it cancels the seat. |
| Withdrawal processing charge | ₹7,000 | Deducted from the seat acceptance fee refund if you withdraw. | |
For tuition and fee waivers after admission, see IIT and NIT fees, scholarships and loans.
Withdraw and exit: read before Round 5
- Withdraw (you have a seat): possible from Round 2. For IIT seats only until the second-last round; for NIT+ seats up to the final round. You leave JoSAA completely, and ₹7,000 is deducted from your refund.
- Exit (you have no seat yet): possible from Round 2 until the second-last round. You leave JoSAA completely.
- The last round is binding. If you had no seat until Round 4, did not exit, and are allotted a seat in Round 5, you are deemed to have accepted it, and an IIT seat accepted this way makes you ineligible for JEE Advanced next year. Stay in the last round only if you would accept any seat on your list.
- Choosing Freeze can never be changed later.
Tools and guides for counselling
- Choice-filling guide and list builder: build and order your list, with warnings about common mistakes.
- Freeze, Float or Slide? Answer three questions to see which option fits you.
- Document checklist for NIT+ and IIT seats, with certificate validity rules.
- Seat matrix: how many seats each branch has at each college.
- CSAB special rounds for vacant NIT+ seats.
- College predictor and cutoffs by branch.
How many rounds are there in JoSAA?
JoSAA 2026 had five rounds of seat allocation, followed by two CSAB special rounds for vacant NIT+ seats.
What is the JoSAA seat acceptance fee?
In 2026 it was ₹30,000, or ₹15,000 for SC, ST and PwD candidates, including ₹5,000 processing charges. The balance is adjusted against your institute fees.
Can I change my choices after locking?
No. After the choice-filling window closes, your list is final for all rounds. Use the mock allocations to fix the order before then.
Will accepting a JoSAA seat stop me from writing JEE Advanced again?
Accepting an IIT seat, including one allotted to you in the last round when you did not exit, makes you ineligible for JEE Advanced the next year. NIT+ seats do not have this effect on JEE Advanced eligibility.
What if I do not get a seat in JoSAA?
Register for the CSAB special rounds for vacant NIT, IIIT and GFTI seats, and apply to state counselling and other admissions that use JEE Main.
What is the difference between JoSAA and CSAB?
JoSAA allots seats at IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs in five rounds. CSAB then runs special rounds only for NIT, IIIT and GFTI seats still vacant, with fresh registration and choice filling.