JoSAA 2026 Counselling Registration, Dates, Choice Filling & Admission Process

The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, officially launched the JoSAA 2026 counselling registration and choice-filling portal on June 2, 2026. This fully online counselling mechanism serves as the unified gateway for admission to prestigious undergraduate engineering programs (B.E./B.Tech) across a vast network of participating institutes, including IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

For the academic year 2026, a total of 67,323 seats—including 3,104 female supernumerary seats—are up for grabs across 138 participating institutes. This features an addition of 4,470 new seats compared to the previous year, expanding opportunities for qualified aspirants.

JoSAA 2026 Overview & Key Highlights

Participation is strictly open to candidates who have qualified for JEE Main 2026 and/or JEE Advanced 2026. Understanding the basic metrics and configuration of this year's seat matrix helps applicants strategize effectively.

JoSAA 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Before proceeding with registration, applicants must verify that they fulfill all academic and rank requirements:

• Valid JEE Main 2026 rank (for NITs, IIITs, IIEST and GFTIs)
• Valid JEE Advanced 2026 rank (for IITs and IISc)
• Passed 12th (10+2) or equivalent with physics, chemistry and mathematics
• At least 75% marks in Class 12 (or 65% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) or top 20 percentile in their board
• Candidates appearing in Class 12 in 2026 can appear provisionally

How to Register & Fill Choices?– Step by Step

The registration window is a one-time opportunity and will not reopen in subsequent rounds. Follow these structured steps to complete your registration successfully:

1. Visit the official portal of JoSAA at josaa.nic.in and click on “New Candidate Registration”.
2. Login using your JEE Main application number and password (or JEE Advanced credentials if you’re applying for IITs).
3. Use the OTP sent to your registered mobile number to verify your identity. Check your personal details, category and rank in the screen.
4. Select your preferred institute-course combinations with the ‘Add’ button and set the preference order.
5. You can edit and move around your choices as many times as you want before the deadline. save your list after each session
6. Lock your choices by 5 PM on June 11. If you don’t lock it manually, the system will automatically lock your last saved order.
7. Upload required documents and pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) in advance to avoid any last minute problems after seat allotment.

Important Schedule and Deadlines

Keep track of all critical milestones across the five rounds of seat allocation to ensure seamless progression through the admission cycle:

Following the conclusion of the five regular rounds, any remaining vacant seats are filled through a separate CSAB special round of counselling.