JEE Main Counselling 2026 is conducted through JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) for admission to IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. The counselling process begins after JEE Advanced results and includes registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and document verification. This guide covers everything from city intimation slip to fee structure, cutoffs, and smart choice filling strategies for JEE Main 2026.
Table of Contents
What is the JEE Main City Intimation Slip?
The JEE Main City Intimation Slip is an official document released by NTA before the admit card. It informs candidates about their allotted examination city and exam date. The slip helps students plan travel and accommodation arrangements in advance.
For JEE Main 2026 Session 1, the city intimation slip was released on January 8, 2026. The exam is scheduled from January 21 to January 30, 2026.
Key Points About City Intimation Slip
Released 10-15 days before the exam date
Contains exam city name and exam date only
Does NOT include exam centre address or timing
Cannot be used for entry into exam hall
Admit card is released separately 3-4 days before exam
Download from jeemain.nta.nic.in using application number and password
City Intimation Slip vs Admit Card
City Intimation Slip
Admit Card
Shows exam city and date only
Shows complete exam centre address
Released 10-15 days before exam
Released 3-4 days before exam
Cannot be used for exam entry
Mandatory for exam hall entry
For travel planning only
Contains shift timing and reporting time
JEE Main 2026 Counselling Process – Complete Overview
JEE Main counselling is conducted through JoSAA for admission to 128 participating institutes. The entire process is online and consists of registration, choice filling, seat allotment, document verification, and fee payment.
Based on JoSAA 2025 schedule, the expected counselling dates for 2026 are as follows. The actual schedule will be released after JEE Advanced 2026 results.
Event
Expected Date 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 Result
June 2, 2026
JoSAA Registration & Choice Filling Begins
June 3, 2026
Registration & Choice Filling Ends
June 12, 2026
Mock Seat Allotment - Round 1
June 8, 2026
Mock Seat Allotment - Round 2
June 11, 2026
Round 1 Seat Allotment Result
June 14, 2026
Round 2 Seat Allotment Result
June 22, 2026
Round 3 Seat Allotment Result
June 28, 2026
Round 4 Seat Allotment Result
July 5, 2026
Round 5 Seat Allotment Result
July 11, 2026
Round 6 Seat Allotment Result
July 16, 2026
CSAB Special Rounds Begin
Late July 2026
JEE Main 2026 Counselling Registration Process
Registration for JoSAA counselling is mandatory for all JEE Main and JEE Advanced qualified candidates. The process is completely online and free of cost.
Proceed to Choice Filling: Start adding college and course preferences
JEE Main 2026 Choice Filling – Smart Strategy
Choice filling is the most crucial step in JoSAA counselling. Your seat allocation depends on the choices you fill and their order. Follow these strategies for optimal results.
Choice Filling Best Practices
Fill Maximum Choices: Add at least 100-150 combinations of institutes and branches
Priority Order: List your most preferred institute-branch combination at the top
Check Previous Cutoffs: Research opening and closing ranks from JoSAA 2025
Include Safe Options: Add colleges where your rank comfortably qualifies
Lock Choices Before Deadline: System auto-locks last saved choices if not locked manually
Use Mock Allotment: Analyze mock results and rearrange choices accordingly
Understanding Freeze, Float, and Slide Options
Option
Meaning
When to Use
Freeze
Accept allotted seat and exit from further rounds
When satisfied with current allotment
Float
Accept seat but remain eligible for upgradation to any higher preference
When hoping for better institute in next rounds
Slide
Accept seat but seek upgradation within same institute only
When satisfied with institute but want better branch
Expert Tip: Use Float option in early rounds (1-4) to maximize upgradation chances. Use Freeze or Slide in later rounds (5-6) once satisfied.
JEE Main 2026 Seat Allotment Rounds
JoSAA conducts 6 rounds of seat allotment. Seats are allocated based on JEE rank, filled choices, category, and seat availability. After JoSAA rounds, CSAB conducts special rounds for vacant seats.
How Seat Allotment Works
System considers your JEE Main/Advanced rank
Matches rank with your preference order
Allocates highest preference where your rank qualifies
Category quota and home state quota are considered
Mock allotments help predict final allocation
JEE Main 2026 Participating Institutes & Seats
JoSAA 2026 will cover approximately 128 institutes offering over 62,000 seats across various engineering programs.
Institute-wise Seat Distribution (Based on 2025 Data)
Institute Type
Number of Institutes
Total Seats
IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology)
23
18,160
NITs (National Institutes of Technology)
31
24,525
IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology)
26
9,940
GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes)
47
10,228
IIEST Shibpur
1
Included in GFTIs
Total
128
62,853
Top NITs Participating in JoSAA
NIT Trichy (Tamil Nadu)
NIT Surathkal (Karnataka)
NIT Warangal (Telangana)
NIT Calicut (Kerala)
NIT Rourkela (Odisha)
VNIT Nagpur (Maharashtra)
MNNIT Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh)
NIT Kurukshetra (Haryana)
NIT Jaipur (Rajasthan)
NIT Durgapur (West Bengal)
JEE Main 2026 Seat Reservation Policy
Seats in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs are reserved as per Government of India norms. Understanding reservation helps in realistic choice filling.
Category-wise Seat Reservation
Category
Reservation Percentage
General (Open)
40.5%
OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer)
27%
SC (Scheduled Caste)
15%
ST (Scheduled Tribe)
7.5%
EWS (Economically Weaker Section)
10%
PwD (Persons with Disability)
5% horizontal across all categories
Female Supernumerary
Additional seats at IITs
Home State Quota in NITs
NITs reserve 50% seats for Home State candidates and 50% for Other State candidates. This significantly affects cutoff ranks. Home state candidates often get seats at 20-30% lower ranks compared to other state quota.
JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff – Category-wise Qualifying Marks
The JEE Main cutoff determines eligibility for JEE Advanced. Based on 2025 trends, here are the expected cutoffs for 2026.
JEE Main 2025 Official Cutoff (For Reference)
Category
Qualifying Percentile (2025)
Expected 2026
General (UR)
93.10
92-94
EWS
80.38
79-82
OBC-NCL
79.43
78-81
SC
61.15
60-63
ST
47.90
46-50
PwD
0.0079
Very Low
Important: This cutoff is for JEE Advanced eligibility only. Actual admission cutoffs for NITs/IIITs are released separately by JoSAA as opening and closing ranks.
Can I Apply for JoSAA with 60 Percentile?
Yes, you can register for JoSAA counselling with any percentile. However, getting a seat depends on your rank, category, and college preferences.
Reality Check for 60 Percentile
General Category: Very unlikely to get NIT/IIIT seat. Focus on GFTIs or state colleges.
OBC-NCL: Slim chances for lower NITs in non-core branches through CSAB special rounds.
SC/ST: Possible to get seats in newer NITs and IIITs. SC cutoff is around 60 percentile.
EWS: Limited options, better to explore state counselling.
Colleges Accepting 60-70 Percentile in JEE Main
With 60-70 percentile, focus on these options:
State Government Engineering Colleges
Private Universities accepting JEE Main scores (KIIT, LPU, SRM, VIT)
GFTIs in later CSAB rounds (for reserved categories)
Self-financed institutes
Is 75 Percentile Good in JEE Mains?
75 percentile in JEE Main corresponds to approximately rank 2,00,000 to 2,50,000. This is below the cutoff for top NITs but offers options in state colleges and private institutes.
College Options with 75 Percentile
Category
Options Available
General
State engineering colleges, private universities
OBC-NCL
Some GFTIs in CSAB special rounds
SC/ST
Lower NITs, IIITs, GFTIs possible
EWS
Limited options in GFTIs
JEE Main 2026 Counselling Fee Structure
JoSAA registration and choice filling are free. Fee is required only after seat allotment.
Complete Fee Structure
Fee Type
General/OBC/EWS
SC/ST/PwD
Registration Fee
Free
Free
Choice Filling Fee
Free
Free
Seat Acceptance Fee (IITs)
₹35,000 - ₹40,000
₹15,000 - ₹20,000
Seat Acceptance Fee (NITs/IIITs/GFTIs)
₹30,000
₹15,000
Partial Admission Fee (PAF) - NIT+ System
Varies by institute
Varies by institute
Note: Seat Acceptance Fee is adjustable against total admission fee. It is refundable with deductions if you withdraw before final round.
Documents Required for JEE Main 2026 Counselling
Keep all documents ready in both original and scanned format. Document verification is done online.
Essential Documents List
Document
Purpose
JEE Main 2026 Admit Card
Identity verification (Required for NIT+ system)
JEE Main 2026 Scorecard/Rank Card
Rank verification
JEE Advanced 2026 Admit Card
Required for IIT admission
Class 10 Mark Sheet
Date of birth verification
Class 12 Mark Sheet
Academic eligibility (75% or top 20 percentile)
Class 12 Pass Certificate
Proof of qualification
Category Certificate (if applicable)
SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS verification
PwD Certificate (if applicable)
Disability quota eligibility
Domicile/Residence Certificate
Home state quota eligibility
Passport Size Photographs (3 copies)
Same as uploaded during JEE registration
Valid Photo ID (Aadhaar/Passport/Voter ID)
Identity verification
Bank Account Details
For fee payment and refund
Fee Payment Receipt
Proof of seat acceptance fee payment
Additional Documents for Specific Categories
OBC-NCL: Non-Creamy Layer certificate issued after April 1, 2025
EWS: Income and Asset Certificate issued after April 1, 2025
Defence/Ex-Servicemen: Relevant defence service certificate
Foreign Nationals: Passport, OCI/PIO card
JoSAA vs CSAB Counselling – Key Differences
CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) conducts special rounds after JoSAA to fill vacant seats. Understanding the difference helps in planning backup options.
Comparison Table
Parameter
JoSAA
CSAB
Institutes Covered
IITs + NITs + IIITs + GFTIs
NITs + IIITs + GFTIs only (No IITs)
Conducted When
June-July (6 rounds)
After JoSAA (August)
Purpose
Main seat allocation
Fill vacant seats after JoSAA
Registration
Fresh registration required
Separate registration at csab.nic.in
Number of Rounds
6
3 (Special Rounds)
Fee Structure
₹30,000/₹15,000
₹45,000/₹25,000 (includes processing fee)
CSAB Special Round Types
CSAB Special Rounds: For vacant NIT+ seats after JoSAA
CSAB NEUT: For North-Eastern and Union Territory candidates
CSAB Supernumerary: For specific UTs (Andaman, Lakshadweep, etc.)
Which Counselling is Best for JEE Mains?
The best counselling depends on your JEE Main rank, category, and target institutes.
Counselling Recommendations by Rank
JEE Main Rank
Recommended Counselling
Under 10,000
JoSAA (for top NITs, IIITs)
10,000 - 50,000
JoSAA + State Counselling
50,000 - 1,00,000
JoSAA + CSAB + State Counselling
Above 1,00,000
CSAB Special + State Counselling + Private Colleges
Common Mistakes to Avoid in JoSAA Counselling
Not filling enough choices: Fill at least 100+ options
Wrong priority order: List most preferred option first
Ignoring previous year cutoffs: Research OR-CR data thoroughly
Confusing Float/Freeze/Slide: Understand options before selecting
Missing deadlines: Set reminders for each round
Not locking choices: System auto-locks last saved choices
Ignoring document requirements: Keep all documents ready
Reporting to wrong centre: Verify reporting centre for dual reporting
Not paying fee on time: Seat gets cancelled if fee is delayed
Filling unwanted choices: Only add institutes you're willing to join
Conclusion
JEE Main Counselling 2026 through JoSAA is your gateway to India's premier engineering institutes. Success depends on thorough preparation – from understanding the city intimation slip to mastering choice filling strategies. Register on time, fill choices wisely based on previous year cutoffs, and keep all documents ready.
Key takeaways for JEE Main 2026 counselling:
Download city intimation slip as soon as released for travel planning
Register on josaa.nic.in immediately after JEE Advanced results
Fill 100+ choices in correct priority order
Use Float option in early rounds, Freeze when satisfied
Keep all documents ready before counselling begins
Pay seat acceptance fee within deadline to confirm admission
Consider CSAB special rounds as backup option
Stay updated with official JoSAA website and follow all deadlines strictly. Your dream engineering seat awaits!
READ MORE
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no minimum percentile to register for JoSAA. However, to get a seat, you need a competitive rank. For General category, around 90+ percentile is needed for NITs. Reserved categories have lower cutoffs – SC requires around 60 percentile, ST around 48 percentile for qualifying JEE Advanced. According to students on Quora, even with 75 percentile in General category, JoSAA registration is possible but getting NIT seat is unlikely without reservation.
Yes, JoSAA registration and choice filling are completely free. You only need to pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (₹30,000 for General/OBC, ₹15,000 for SC/ST/PwD) after a seat is allotted to you. This fee is adjustable against the total admission fee of the institute.
Yes, if you are in the top 20 percentile of your respective board examination. This alternative eligibility criterion allows candidates who don't have 75% marks but have performed well relative to their board peers. For SC/ST/PwD candidates, the minimum requirement is 65% or top 20 percentile. Reddit users advise checking your board's top 20 percentile cutoff marks which varies annually.
If you don't manually lock your choices before the deadline, JoSAA automatically locks your last saved choices. This can be problematic if your saved order doesn't reflect your actual preferences. Many students on forums report regretting not reviewing their choices before auto-lock. Always manually lock after final review.
No, you cannot add new choices after the initial choice filling window closes. However, you can rearrange the order of existing locked choices between rounds. After seat allotment, you can only choose Freeze, Float, or Slide options. You cannot add new institutes or branches.
JoSAA conducts main counselling for IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. CSAB conducts special rounds after JoSAA to fill vacant seats in NIT+ system only (excluding IITs). CSAB requires fresh registration and has higher processing fees. Students who didn't get seats in JoSAA or want to upgrade can try CSAB special rounds.
Experts recommend filling at least 100-150 choices. Include dream options, realistic options, and safe backup options. According to student discussions, filling only 10-15 choices is a major mistake. More choices increase your chances of getting a seat, especially if your dream options don't work out.
For General category, 60 percentile is insufficient for NITs as it corresponds to rank above 3,00,000. However, SC/ST candidates with 60 percentile may get seats in newer NITs like NIT Manipur, NIT Mizoram, or NIT Sikkim through CSAB special rounds. Focus on state colleges or private universities for better options at this percentile.
Use Freeze only when you are fully satisfied with the allotted seat and don't want any upgradation. Once you Freeze, you exit from all future rounds and your seat is confirmed. Experienced candidates suggest using Float in early rounds and Freeze only in Round 5 or 6 when satisfied or when chances of upgradation are minimal.
Category certificates (OBC-NCL, EWS) are most commonly rejected due to old dates (must be issued after April 1 of current year), incorrect format, or non-inclusion of non-creamy layer clause. Ensure your OBC certificate specifically mentions "Non-Creamy Layer" and is in the prescribed central government format, not state format.
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JEE Main Counselling 2026: Complete Guide to JoSAA, CSAB, Registration, Seat Allotment & Documents
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