In short
Besides JoSAA (IITs, NITs, IIITs, GFTIs), several states fill their engineering seats using your JEE Main rank or percentile in a separate counselling. Registering for these alongside JoSAA is cheap and gives you a safety net, especially if you are from that state. The main ones are JAC Delhi (DTU, NSUT, IIIT-Delhi, IGDTUW), GGSIPU (IP University and its affiliated colleges in Delhi), UPTAC (Uttar Pradesh), REAP (Rajasthan) and HSTES (Haryana).
State counselling through JEE Main at a glance
| Counselling | Run by | Basis | Home-state share | 2026 fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAC Delhi | Joint Admission Committee (NSUT coordinated in 2026) | JEE Main rank | 85% Delhi region, 15% outside Delhi | ₹1,500 |
| GGSIPU (IP University) | Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi | JEE Main rank | 85% Delhi region, 15% outside Delhi | ₹2,500 registration (no separate counselling fee) |
| UPTAC | AKTU, Lucknow | JEE Main rank (B.Tech) | As per UP rules | ₹1,000 |
| REAP | CEG with RTU Kota and Department of Technical Education | JEE Main rank, then Class 12 percentile | 15% of seats for candidates from outside Rajasthan | ₹885 |
| HSTES | Haryana State Technical Education Society | JEE Main All India Rank | 15% Rest of Haryana quota | ₹1,000 (₹700 reserved) |
From each body’s 2026 information brochure, except UPTAC (corroborated reports; check AKTU’s notice). Fees exclude bank charges.
Should I register for state counselling as well as JoSAA?
- Yes, if you are from that state. Home-state candidates usually get far better options in their state’s counselling than in JoSAA’s Other State quota.
- Often yes even if you are not. Colleges such as DTU and NSUT (JAC Delhi) are only available through their own counselling, and several states keep a share of seats for outside candidates.
- Watch the deadlines and seat-acceptance fees. State counsellings run alongside JoSAA in June–August. Accepting a seat may need a fee, and leaving it later can mean losing part of that fee.
Check what your JEE Main rank reached in JoSAA with the college predictor. Other routes into engineering are on other entrance exams.
States with their own entrance exam
Some states fill engineering seats through their own test instead of JEE Main: MHT CET (Maharashtra), WBJEE (West Bengal), KCET and COMEDK UGET (Karnataka), and KEAM (Kerala). Universities such as BITS (BITSAT) and VIT (VITEEE) run their own exams too. Compare all exams.