JEE Advanced 2026: JoSAA counselling begins on June 2 for admissions to IITs, NITs, IIITs; all you need to know

First seat allotment on June 13; candidates can fill preferences till June 11. Here's the complete schedule, eligibility criteria and key steps for admission.

The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) will begin registration and choice filling for admissions to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) Shibpur and other Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs) from 5:00 pm on June 2.

The counselling process follows the declaration of Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2026 results on June 1, through which over 54,000 candidates qualified for admission to the IITs, including 10,107 female candidates.

Through JoSAA, candidates can apply for seats across more than 120 participating institutions using their JEE Main and JEE Advanced ranks. Registration and choice filling will remain open until 5:00 pm on June 11.

Who can participate in JoSAA counselling?

Candidates eligible for JoSAA counselling include:

• JEE Advanced 2026 qualified candidates seeking admission to IITs and IISc

• JEE Main 2026 rank holders applying to NITs, IIITs, IIEST Shibpur and other GFTIs

• Candidates seeking admission to BTech, BArch and BPlanning programmes

• Candidates eligible for IIT preparatory courses

JoSAA has clarified that qualifying JEE Main or JEE Advanced alone does not guarantee admission, as institute-specific eligibility requirements must also be fulfilled.

Registration opens today 

The online registration and choice-filling process will begin at 5:00 pm on June 2. Candidates will be able to select and arrange their preferred institutes and programmes in order of priority.

Candidates can modify, reorder and finalise their preferences during the choice-filling window.

The last date for registration and choice filling is June 11, 2026, till 5:00 pm. Choices will then be automatically locked by the system.

Two mock allotments before seat allocation 

Before actual seat allocation, JoSAA will release two mock seat allotments:

• Mock Allotment 1: June 8

• Mock Allotment 2: June 10

These mock allotments are designed to help students understand their likely seat allocation based on the choices submitted and allow them to rearrange preferences before final locking.

First seat allotment on June 13 

The first round of seat allocation will be announced on June 13.

The complete counselling schedule is:

• Round 1: June 13

• Round 2: June 30

• Round 3: July 6

• Round 4: July 10

• Round 5 (Final Round): July 16

What happens after a seat is allotted?

Once a seat is allotted, candidates must:

• Accept the allotted seat online

• Upload required documents

• Pay the seat acceptance fee

• Respond to any verification queries raised by authorities within the stipulated deadline

Failure to complete these steps within the prescribed timeline can result in cancellation of the allotted seat.

Freeze, Float and Slide: What do they mean?

After accepting a seat, candidates can choose one of three options:

• Freeze: Accept the allotted seat and do not participate in further upgradation rounds.

• Float: Accept the allotted seat but remain eligible for higher-preference choices in any participating institute.

• Slide: Accept the allotted seat but seek an upgrade only within the same institute.

These options play a crucial role in determining whether a candidate remains eligible for seat upgrades in subsequent rounds.

Documents students should keep ready

Candidates are advised to keep the following documents ready before counselling begins:

• JEE Main 2026 scorecard

• JEE Advanced 2026 rank card (where applicable)

• Class 10 and Class 12 certificates

• Category certificate (if applicable)

• EWS certificate (if applicable)

• PwD certificate/UDID card (if applicable)

• Photo identity proof

• Passport-size photographs

JoSAA has advised candidates to complete choice filling carefully, keep all required documents ready, and regularly check the counselling portal for updates. Since the entire admission process is conducted online and follows a fixed schedule, missing a deadline could result in the loss of an allotted seat.