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JEE Main Counselling 2026: JoSAA Schedule, Eligibility, Documents for NIT and IIIT
Content Curator | Updated On - Apr 23, 2026
What's New in JEE Main Counselling 2026
NTA has declared the JEE Main 2026 result on April 20, 2026. JEE Main 2026 counselling will begin in June 2026 for admission to IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.
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JEE Main counselling 2026 will be conducted in an online mode with physical reporting to the allotted institute.
- The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) is the counselling process for JEE Main 2026 for seat allocation to admissions at 127 institutes: 23 IITs, 31 NITs, IIEST Shibpur, 26 IIITs and 46 GFTIs.
- A total of 6 rounds are held in JEE Main Counselling, which includes seat allocation, online reporting and fee payment in each round of JoSAA.
- Candidates need to register themselves on the JoSAA portal to get seats at NITs, IITs, IIITs and GFTIs through JEE Main Counselling 2026.
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Key Summary:
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Table of Contents
- JEE Main Counselling 2026: Dates
- JEE Main Counselling 2026: Eligibility
- JEE Main Counselling 2026: Registration Process
- JEE Main Counselling Process 2026
- JEE Main Counselling 2026 Seat Allotment Process
- Documents Required for JEE Main Counselling 2026
- JEE Main Counselling 2026 Participating Institutes
- JEE Main Counselling vs CSAB Counselling 2026
- JEE Main Counselling 2026 Smart Strategy
- FAQs
JEE Main Counselling 2026: Dates
JEE Main Counselling 2026 will take place after the JEE Advanced 2026. The tentative schedule for JEE Main Counselling 2026 has been tabulated below:
| Events | Dates |
|---|---|
| JEE Advanced | May 17, 2026 |
| JoSAA Counselling Registration | June 2026 |
| Mock Seat Allocation | June 2026 |
| JEE Main Counselling Round 1- 5 Seat Allotment | June 2026 Mid July 2026 |
| JEE Main Counselling Round 6 Seat Allotment (if applicable) | Mid or Late July |
| CSAB Counselling | After JoSAA Counselling concludes |
JEE Main Counselling 2026: Eligibility
Candidates appearing for JEE Main Counselling should meet the eligibility criteria for IITs as well as for NITs, IIITs and GFTIs as discussed in the tables below.
- JoSAA Eligibility for IITs- Candidates should qualify for the JEE Advanced 2026 to get admission to an IIT.
| Eligibility Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Class 12 Examination | Candidates should pass class 12 in 2025 or 2026 |
| Subject Combination | Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
| Aggregate Marks Percentile | 75% aggregate marks in Class 12 |
| Top 20 Percentile | Candidates must be in the top 20th percentile in Class 12 |
- JoSAA Eligibility for NITs, IIITs, IIEST and GFTIs- Candidates should qualify class 12 with 75% aggregate marks and a valid JEE Main rank to get admission in NITs/IIITs/IIEST/GFTIs.
| Eligibility Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Class 12 Examination | Candidates should pass class 12 in 2025 or 2026 |
| Subject Combination | Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational subject |
| Aggregate Marks Percentile | 75% aggregate marks in Class 12 |
| Top 20 Percentile | Candidates must be in the top 20th percentile in Class 12 |
| JEE Main Rank | Valid JEE Main Rank |
| Age Limit | No age limit |
Note: The detailed eligibility criteria for admission to the NIT + System is described in the JoSSA Business Rules.
Source: JoSAA Business Rule
JEE Main Counselling 2026: Registration Process
You need to register on the JoSAA portal to apply for JEE Main Counselling process after JEE Advanced. The step-by-step registration process is discussed below:
- Step 1- Visit the official website of JoSAA at josaa.nic.in
- Step 2- Click on the new registration link
- Step 3- Register with JEE Main 2026 application number and personal details
- Step 4- Verify the OTP sent to your registered mobile number
- Step 5- Create a password for your JoSAA candidate portal
- Step 6- Access the candidate portal with the required logged-in credentials
- Step 7- Verify details and proceed to choice filing
JEE Main Counselling Process 2026
Here is a detailed JEE Main 2026 Counselling process discussed, including registration, choice filling, document verification, and allotment to the institute.
- Step 1- Register on the official website of JoSAA
- Step 2- Fill in the preferred branches and choices
- Step 3- Lock your preferred choices
- Step 4- Seat will be allotted based on rank, seat availability, where candidates can use freeze, float and slide options
- Step 5- Pay the seat acceptance fee online. Non-payment will lead to the cancellation of the allocated seat
- Step 6- Complete the document verification as per your schedule
- Step 7- Report to the allocated institute to pay and complete the remaining formalities
You can watch the video below to understand the detailed JEE Main Counselling Process and smart strategies to use while locking a seat through JoSAA Counselling 2026.
JEE Main Counselling 2026: Choice Filling
To avoid any inconvenience, you need to know about the proper choice-filling process before locking your seats:
| Choice Filling Steps | Details |
|---|---|
| Verification | Candidates need to verify the OTP before the choice-filling process |
| Choice Filling Options | You need to choose as many options as possible, but preference-wise |
| Edit Choice Filling Options | Candidates can remove the unwanted options or cross-check the details before locking their choice |
| Choice Locking | Once a choice is locked, it can't be edited. If a candidate failed to lock their choices, the system will automatically save the last option chosen |
| Print out the locked choices | Candidates are advised to take a printout of their locked options for future use |
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JEE Main Counselling 2026 Seat Allotment Process
JoSAA will release the seat allotment notification on the official website. Candidates need to check after completing their choice filling.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Seat Allotment | Online Mode |
| Seat Acceptance Options | Freeze, Float and Slide |
| Total Rounds | 5- 6 (CSAB Counselling to fill vacant seats after JoSAA at NITs/IIITs/IITs/GFTIs) |
| Document Verification | Online |
| Final Acceptance Fee | Report to the allocated institute and complete the process by paying the required fee |
JEE Main Counselling 2026: Seat Acceptance Options
Basically, candidates can choose freeze, float and slide options while locking their seats through JEE Main Counselling, which signifies the following things:
| Seat Acceptance Options | Details |
|---|---|
| Freeze | This means you have accepted the allocated seat and confirmed it permanently. |
| Float | Accepted the allocated seat, but remain in the counselling process for future rounds. If a higher-preference seat is offered in a subsequent round, the candidate will accept that. |
| Slide | Means a candidate has accepted the allocated college but requests to be considered for a better branch in the same college during future rounds. |
Documents Required for JEE Main Counselling 2026
You need to keep certain important documents ready, which will be required while registering for JEE Main Counselling and for the document verification process, as listed below:
- JoSAA Provisional seat allotment letter
- JoSAA Seat payment receipt
- JEE Main 2026 Admit Card
- JEE Main 2026 Scorecard
- Class 12 marksheet for eligibility criteria
- Class 10 marksheet for date of birth proof
- Three passport-sized photographs
- Valid ID proof
- Category Certificate (if applicable)
JEE Main Counselling 2026 Participating Institutes
JoSAA has been set up by the Ministry of Education to manage and regulate the joint seat allocation for admissions to 127 institutes. The participating institutes are:
- 23 IITs
- 31 NITs
- IIEST Shibpur
- 26 IIITs
- 47 GFTIs
You need to click on the following link to see the list of all the participating institutes:
JEE Main Counselling vs CSAB Counselling 2026
A comparative analysis of JEE Main Counselling vs CSAB Counselling process is tabulated below to help you understand the key differences between them:
| Particulars | JEE Main Counselling | CSAB Counselling |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Commencement | After the declaration of JEE Advanced, mainly in June 2026 | After JoSAA Counselling, late July/August 2026 |
| Number of Rounds | 5-6 | 2-3 |
| Purpose | To get admission at top branches at IITs/NITs/IIITs and GFTIs | To get admission in lower branches, especially to fill the vacant seats after JoSAA Counselling in NITs |
| Eligibility | JEE Main rank and JEE Advanced rank for IIT | Valid JEE Main Rank |
| Conducting Body | Joint Seat Allocation Authority | Central Seat Allocation Board |
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JEE Main Counselling 2026 Smart Strategy
Candidates are advised to fill in the choices based on the top institutes with popular branches available, such as NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, and NIT Calicut for CSE and if qualified in JEE Advanced, then focus on top-tier IITs such as IIT Bombay CSE. Second priority should be tier-2 NITs/IIITs, and choose GFTIs if NITs/IIITs are out of reach.
According to a Reddit post, A user has shared some of the smart strategies that you should follow while filling your choices at JEE Main Counselling 2026:
- Focus on the preference order while choosing your college
- Float choices rather than accepting them as accepting it means you will not be allowed to participate in later rounds
- Should focus on the deadlines of each round
- Fill ample choices to be on the safe side
Source: Reddit
FAQs
Ques. What happens if a candidate fails to lock a seat in the JEE Main Counselling process?
Ans. If you failed to lock the seats at the JEE Main Counselling Process, your last option will be saved automatically by the system. Thus, candidates are advised to fill in the seat options correctly and save them to avoid any inconvenience.
Ques. Can a candidate get NIT through CSAB Counselling?
Ans. The CSAB Counselling holds significance for candidates who have not got into institutes through JoSAA Counselling but wish to complete their BTech/BE in a renowned NIT.
Ques. Is 75% aggregate marks compulsory in class 12 to get admission at NITs/IITs?
Ans. Yes, candidates should have got 75% aggregate marks in Class 12 to get admission in the NITs/IITs through JEE Main Counselling. For reserved category candidates, it is 65% aggregate marks in class 12.
Ques. Can a candidate edit the choice filing in JEE Main counselling?
Ans. Yes, a candidate can edit their choice filing in JEE Main counselling before the deadline. After the deadline of the counselling round, no edit option is available.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
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Answered Questions
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