JoSAA Counselling 2026 Registration Starts – Get Direct Link, Choice Filling Process, & Seat Allotment

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Both JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026 qualified candidates are eligible for JoSAA counselling 2026. The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) started the JoSAA counselling 2026 registration and choice filling today, June 2, 2026, by 5 PM. The detailed JoSAA counselling 2026 schedule has already been released on the official website www.josaa.nic.in. The JoSAA counselling will be conducted with a total of 6 rounds along with 2 rounds of mock seat allotment. However, the JoSAA counselling for AAT will start from June 7, 2026, after the declaration of the AAT Result 2026 by IIT Roorkee at www.jeeadv.ac.in.

As per the official report, the JEE Advanced Result 2026 was announced on June 1, 2026, while the JEE Main Result 2026 was released on April 20, 2026. A total of 56880 candidates out of 179694 candidates have cleared the JEE Advanced 2026. Out of the total number of qualified candidates, a total of 10107 female candidates have cleared the exam. The next step after the JEE Advanced 2026 result is to participate in the JoSAA counselling 2026, which is set for seat allotment to eligible candidates across IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

JEE Advanced Sikar Topper 2026

In this article, you will get complete information on what JoSAA counselling is, when JoSAA counselling will start, who is eligible for JoSAA counselling, and how to register for JoSAA. Apart from this, you will also gather information on JoSAA 2026 opening and closing ranks for top IITs in India from the following sections. So keep reading this entire article for updated information.

When will JoSAA Counselling 2026 start?

JoSAA stands for Joint Seat Allocation Authority, generally conducted for JEE Main as well as JEE Advanced-qualified candidates to allot seats in IITs across India. JoSAA is a centralised admission and seat allocation process managed by the Ministry of Education in India to admit students for top-tier undergraduate engineering and architecture programs.

As per the official JoSAA schedule 2026, JoSAA counselling for 2026 started on June 2, 2026. The link to fill the JoSAA Counselling 2026 application form is activated by 5 PM. To participate in the JEE Advanced 2026 counselling, you need to register within the given JoSAA counselling dates. There is no fee required for JoSAA registration, but you need to pay the fee after a seat allotment in any round of JoSAA counselling 2026.

JoSAA Counselling Registration 2026 – CLICK HERE FOR DIRECT LINK

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Important Dates

JoSAA has officially released the JoSAA 2026 schedule on its official website. Now candidates who are eligible and wish to participate in the JoSAA counselling can check out the dates below to verify what will be done on which date.

Event	JoSAA 2026 Dates & Time
JEE Main 2026 ranks declared by Joint Apex Board	April 20, 2026 (Released)
JEE Advanced 2026 Result Date	June 1, 2026 by 2:45 AM (Released)
JoSAA registration and choice filling starts	June 2, 2026 by 5 PM (Started)
Seat acceptance fee pre-payment and document pre-upload begin
AAT-qualified candidates can start filling AAT-specific choices	June 7, 2026
Display of Mock Seat Allocation (Round 1)	June 8, 2026 (2:00 PM)
Display of Mock Seat Allocation (Round 2) based on choices filled as on June 9, 2026, by 5 PM.	June 10, 2026 (1:00 PM)
Registration and choice filling end (auto-locking of choices)	June 11, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Pre-payment of the JoSAA seat acceptance fee and pre-upload document close on
Data reconciliation, verification, and validation by JoSAA	June 12, 2026
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Round 1
Seat Allocation	June 13, 2026 (10:00 AM)
Online reporting, document upload, query response, and fee payment	June 13 – June 26, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Last date for fee payment	June 26, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Resolution of fee payment issues	June 29, 2026 (1:00 PM)
Last day to respond to withdrawal query	June 29, 2026 (5:00 PM)
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Round 2
Seat Allocation	June 30, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Online reporting, document upload, query response, and fee payment	June 30 – July 3, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Withdrawal/Exit window	July 1 – July 3, 2026
Last date for fee payment	July 3, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Resolution of fee payment issues	July 4, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Last day to respond to withdrawal and reporting queries	July 5, 2026 (5:00 PM)
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Round 3
Seat Allocation	July 6, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Online reporting, document upload, query response, and fee payment	July 6 – July 8, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Withdrawal/Exit window	July 7 – July 8, 2026
Last date for fee payment	July 8, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Resolution of fee payment issues	July 9, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Last day to respond to withdrawal and reporting queries	July 9, 2026 (5:00 PM)
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Round 4
Seat Allocation	July 10, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Online reporting, document upload, query response, and fee payment	July 10 – July 13, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Withdrawal/Exit window	July 11 – July 14, 2026
Last date for fee payment	July 13, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Resolution of fee payment issues	July 14, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Last day to respond to withdrawal and reporting queries	July 15, 2026 (5:00 PM)
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Round 5
Seat Allocation (Final Round for IITs/IISc)	July 16, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Online reporting, document upload, query response, and fee payment	July 16 – July 20, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Withdrawal window for NIT+ System candidates	July 16 – July 20, 2026
Last date for fee payment	July 20, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Resolution of fee payment issues and last day to respond to queries	July 20, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Final Round of IIT/IISc seat allocation ends	July 21, 2026 (5:00 PM)
Withdrawal query response period for NIT+ System	July 17 – July 21, 2026
NIT+ System candidates can pay Partial Admission Fee (PAF); further admission process through CSAB 2026	July 22 – July 24, 2026 (5:00 PM)

How to Register for JoSAA Counselling 2026?

The JoSAA 2026 registration for JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026 qualified candidates began on June 2, 2026. The registration process includes 6 steps, and each step is crucial. Skipping even one step can kick you out of the process completely. So, carefully check the following steps and know how to apply for JoSAA counselling 2026.

Step 1: New Candidate Registration-

If you are first-time on the JoSAA platform, then you have to register first to fill the JoSAA counselling form online. Follow the steps if you are a new user.

• Visit the official JoSAA counselling website, i.e. www.josaa.nic.in.
• Navigate to the “New Candidate Registration” tab.
• Click on the link and a new screen will open.
• Provide the details as mentioned there, like application number, date of birth, mother’s name, and candidate’s name, etc.
• Once you click on Submit, an OTP will be sent to your registered email address and mobile number.
• Verify the OTP to proceed to the next step.
• Here you will be asked to create a new password for your JoSAA account to protect it.
• Note the username and password further will be used to log in and fill the JoSAA 2026 application form.

Step 2: Logging into the JoSAA 2026 Candidate Portal.

• Once you have created the login credentials, visit the “Candidate Login Portal” and click on it.
• Now you have to log in using the username and password provided to you at the time of JoSAA 2026 registration.
• Once logged in, a JoSAA counselling form will open with some details already filled in the form.
• Verify the details, and if there are any discrepancies, click on Edit to correct them.
• Once you submit the details correctly, your JoSAA application process is completed.
• Now you will be taken to the next steps, such as choice filling.

How to Fill and Lock Choices in JoSAA Counselling 2026

This is an important step for candidates to choose their preferred institutes and branches in the given order. Choose as many as you can; there is no limit to how you choose an institute and branch in JoSAA counselling. Your maximum choice may enhance your chances of getting a seat within the given preferences. Follow the steps below to complete the JoSAA 2026 choice filing and locking process.

• Log in to the JoSAA website with your login credentials.
• Now select the option “Choice Filling” on the website dashboard.
• Choose the institutes from the available list of IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
• You will be given options to add, remove, or rearrange preferred courses and institutes.
• After filling your maximum choices, click on the save option.
• Once you confirm and are fully satisfied with your choice list, you can click on the ‘Lock Choices’ option.
• After you click on the lock choices, a prompt to confirm the locking action will be displayed.
• You need to enter your password to complete the process.
• After successfully locking the choices, take a printout of the final locked choice list for further use.

JoSAA 2026 Seat Allotment & Rounds

The seat allotment of JoSAA counselling 2026 will start after the registration and choice filling and locking process. Candidates will be allotted a seat for admission into their preferred institute and branch. The JoSAA seat allotment 2026 will be completed with 6 rounds. The types of seat allotment in JoSAA 2026 are explained below.

JoSAA 2026 Mock Seat Allotment

The mock seat allotment round in JoSAA counselling 2026 will be based on choices submitted by candidates. The mock seat allotment will be done with two rounds as follows.

• Mock Seat Allocation: Round 1 (June 8, 2026)
• Mock Seat Allocation: Round 2 (June 10, 2026)

JoSAA 2026 Seat Allotment (Important Steps)

The following are the important seat allocation rounds in JoSAA counselling 2026 after the mock seat allocation rounds.

• Round 1 (June 13, 2026): This is the first seat allotment round based on your rank and choices.
• Round 2 (June 21, 2026): This is the second seat allotment round for vacant seats, which are reallocated and upgraded (from Round 1).
• Round 3 (June 27, 2026): This is the third step for further seat upgrades (Round 2) and fresh allotments.
• Round 4 (July 3, 2026): Most seat allocations get finalised by this round.
• Round 5 (July 8, 2026): This round gives you limited upgrades and remaining seat allocation.
• Round 6 (July 12, 2026): This is the final JoSAA allotment round before CSAB special rounds.

Freeze, Float, and Slide Options in JoSAA 2026 Counselling

Once you are allotted a seat, you need to pick one of the following 3 options carefully.

• Freeze: When you are satisfied with the JoSAA seat allocation, you can choose this option. No further options will be possible to choose after this.
• Float: If you accept the seat but wish to upgrade to something higher on your list in the next round for a better college or branch can choose this option.
• Slide: You can select the option if you accept the college but want to upgrade to a better branch within the allotted college, not a different college.

JoSAA 2026 Seat Acceptance Fee and Payment Process

To confirm your allotted seat in a particular college, you have to pay the JoSAA seat acceptance fee. Failing to pay the fee may lead to the cancellation of your allotted seat and remove you from all future JoSAA rounds. The fee amount is as follows.

• General/ OBC-NCL/ Gen-EWS: Rs 35,000/-
• SC/ ST/ PwD: Rs 15,000/-

Documents Required for JoSAA Counselling 2026

The following documents with scanned copies are required to be uploaded during the online reporting window. The documents should be in the prescribed format and size.

• Class 10 Marksheet & Certificate
• Class 12 Marksheet & Certificate
• JEE Main 2026 admit card and scorecard
• JEE Advanced 2026 admit card and rank card (for IIT and IISc)
• Category certificate
• PwD Certificate (if required)
• Recent passport-size photograph
• Scanned signature
• Valid Photo ID proof issued by government authority

JoSAA 2026 Participating Institutes and Seat Matrix

Here is the seat matrix of participating institutes in JoSAA 2026. This is centralised counselling for admissions to over 125 premier engineering institutes. The seat allocation is based on JEE Main and JEE Advanced ranks. A breakdown of these totals of 60,000 seats across IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs is as follows.

• IITs (Indian Institute of Technology): Admission will be done based on JEE Advanced. Approximately 18,000 to 19,000 seats are available at 23 premier institutes across India.
• NITs (National Institutes of Technology): 31 NITs are now available with a total of 24,000 to 24,500 seats. Admission is based on JEE Main rank.
• IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology): 26 specialised institutes offer admission based on JEE Main ranks. There are a total of 9,900 to 11,500 seats available for admission.
• GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes):  47+ centrally funded technical institutes offer admission to fill 10000+ seats based on JEE Main rank.

JoSAA 2026 Opening and Closing Ranks Analysis

The opening and closing ranks are two different aspects of JoSAA counselling. The JoSAA opening rank refers to the maximum marks secured to be eligible for top-tier college selection, while the JoSAA closing rank is the minimum marks that allow candidates to secure admission to lower-tier colleges. The JoSAA opening and closing rank may vary by year. If you want to know the opening and closing rank for JoSAA counselling, then click on the link in the table below.

CLICK HERE to know the previous year Opening & Closing Rank

Category-Wise Reservation Rules in JoSAA 2026

All the Indian nationals who belong to certain categories are admitted under the seat reserved for them in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Government of India. The categories and the extent of reservation are as follows.

• General category candidates belonging to the Economically Weaker Section (Gen-EWS) are eligible for 10% of seat reservation in every course.
• Other Backward Classes (OBC) candidates belonging to the Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) are eligible for 27% of seat reservation in every course. OBC creamy layer are not eligible for any seat reservation under JoSAA counselling.
• Candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) are eligible for 15% of seat reservation.
• Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates are eligible for 7.5% of seat reservation.
• Persons with Disability (PwD) of all categories with at least 40% impairment are eligible for 5% of seat reservation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid During JoSAA Counselling 2026

The following are the common mistakes usually made by candidates while in JoSAA counselling. Preventing these mistakes may improve your chances of selection to your preferred institutes and branch. If you want to know which mistakes should be avoided during JoSAA counselling, then take a look below.

JoSAA Counselling 2026 Common Mistakes	What Should You Do
Filling too few choices in JoSAA choice filling 2026	Fill the maximum possible relevant choices across branches and colleges to increase allotment chances.
Not locking choices manually before the deadline	Lock your choices as soon as you finalise them and download the locked-choice confirmation.
Skipping JoSAA mock allotment 2026	Use mock allotment results to rearrange choices strategically before final submission.
Misunderstanding Freeze, Float, and Slide	Learn each option carefully and choose the one that matches your upgrade preference.
Missing round deadlines and losing your seat	Track all JoSAA deadlines on a calendar and complete every action well before the cutoff.
Not taking clues from JoSAA previous year cutoff trends	Analyse previous-year cutoffs to create a realistic and balanced choice list.
Choosing college name over branch fit	Prioritise a branch aligned with your interests and career goals over brand value alone.
Ignoring category seats, home state quota, and document errors	Use all applicable reservation benefits correctly and verify documents before counselling starts.

What after JoSAA counselling 2026?

If you get a seat during JoSAA counselling, you are eligible to finalise your admission to the allotted college. In case you didn’t get any seat for admission, CSAB counselling is the second-to-last chance for you to get a seat for admission. The counselling through CSAB 2026 is conducted only if there are any seats vacant even after all six JoSAA rounds.

The admission through CSAB counselling covers NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs across India. The CSAB registration and selection process is completely separate from the JoSAA counselling. To participate in the CSAB counselling, you need to visit the CSAB portal and complete the formalities.

Conclusion

Following the JEE Advanced Result 2026, JoSAA counselling will be conducted. This is a centralised admission process to select eligible and qualified candidates from JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026 to assign seats for admission. The JoSAA 2026 admission will be based on the candidates’ ranks and seat availability in the preferred college.

After the JoSAA counselling, if there are any vacant seats, a CSAB special round will be conducted. The admission under CSAB counselling covers candidates’ admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, which is completely separate from the JoSAA counselling.

Frequently Asked Questions