JoSAA Counselling 2026: Registration, Choice Filling & Seat Allotment
JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) manages undergraduate admission to 138 institutes: 23 IITs, IISc, 31 NITs, IIEST Shibpur, 26 IIITs, and 56 GFTIs. After JEE Advanced results, JoSAA registration opens, and all candidates who are eligible — whether through JEE Main (for NIT/IIIT/GFTI seats) or both JEE Main and JEE Advanced (for IIT/IISc seats) — register and fill choices together.
JoSAA 2026 opened registration on 2 June, with choice filling closing on 11 June. Round 1 allotment was announced on 13 June. Multiple rounds follow, with reporting windows. This is an extremely consequential process for B.Tech aspirants — wrong choices or missed deadlines can cost a year. Work only from the official information bulletin at josaa.nic.in.
JoSAA 2026 key dates (indicative; confirm each cycle)
| Event | 2026 dates (indicative) |
|---|---|
| Registration + choice filling opens | 2 June 2026 |
| Choice filling closes | 11 June 2026 |
| Mock allotments | 8 and 10 June 2026 |
| Round 1 allotment | 13 June 2026 |
| Reporting for Round 1 | 14–26 June 2026 |
| Subsequent rounds | Continue through June–July (confirm official schedule) |
| CSAB special rounds | Late July–August (for NIT+ vacant seats; confirm separately at csab.nic.in) |
All dates are cycle-specific. Always confirm on josaa.nic.in and jeeadv.ac.in before acting.
JoSAA counselling step by step
- Register on JoSAA portal — Use your JEE Main roll number and JEE Advanced roll number (if applicable). Verify your registration status carefully before closing the browser.
- Fill and order your choices — Add all branches and institutes you would genuinely consider, then rank them from most to least preferred. Use opening and closing ranks from josaa.nic.in/or-cr/ as the data source. Add more choices, not fewer — a long list does not hurt.
- Study mock allotments — JoSAA releases mock allotments before the first official round. Use these to adjust your choice ordering — they reflect current competition but are not final.
- Respond to each round's allotment — After each round, you must accept the seat, freeze/float/slide, pay fees, and report as required. Missing a reporting deadline means losing the allotment.
Freeze, float, slide — what they mean
| Option | What it means |
|---|---|
| Freeze | Accept the current allotment as final. No further changes or upgrades. |
| Float | Accept the current allotment (keep the seat) but remain eligible for upgrades to higher-preference choices in subsequent rounds. |
| Slide | Accept the current allotment but allow upgrades only within the same institute to a higher-preference branch (not to a different institute). |
Business rules change each cycle. Read the current information bulletin at josaa.nic.in/information-bulletin/ before making any decision.
Missed reporting = lost seat: Every round has a reporting/document-upload deadline. A seat allotted in any round is forfeited if you do not report within the window. JoSAA operates on tight deadlines. This guidance describes typical rules — always confirm every step on the official portal. Wrong guidance in this area can cost a year.
Frequently asked questions
JoSAA mein kitne choices fill karni chahiye — how many choices should I fill?
Fill as many genuine choices as possible. There is no penalty for a long list. The algorithm assigns you the highest-ranked choice where your rank meets the closing rank. Too few choices reduces your chances of securing a seat.
How do I find opening and closing ranks?
The official JoSAA opening and closing rank data for all previous years is at josaa.nic.in/or-cr/. This is the primary data source used by all college predictors. Use it directly — it is free and authoritative.