JoSAA stands for Joint Seat Allocation Authority. It is the single centralized counselling process for admission to 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 26 IIITs and 33 Other GFTIs — a total of 113+ institutions and 50,000+ seats. Candidates who qualify JEE Main (for NITs/IIITs/GFTIs) and JEE Advanced (for IITs) participate in JoSAA counselling.
Register on JoSAA Portal
Visit josaa.nic.in. Register using your JEE Main Application Number and password. Verify email and mobile. Registration is mandatory before choice filling.
Choice Filling & Locking
Fill your preferred colleges and branches in order of preference. You can add up to 200+ choices. Lock your choices before the deadline — unlocked choices are auto-locked with no guarantee of final order. Add as many choices as possible — it's free and has no negative effect.
Seat Allotment
Based on your rank, category, and choices, JoSAA allots a seat. Check your allotment carefully. You'll get one of: Accept & Freeze, Accept with Upgrade, Reject & Float, Reject & Slide.
Online Fee Payment
Pay the seat acceptance fee (₹15,000–₹35,000 depending on category and institution). This confirms your provisional allotment for the current round.
Seat Upgrade Rounds
If you chose "Float" or "Slide", you may get a better seat in subsequent rounds. Repeat the fee payment process. After Round 6, a freeze seat is final.
Document Verification at Reporting Centre
Visit the allotted institute's reporting centre with original documents. Verification failure = seat cancellation. Report on the exact date given.
| Option | Meaning | What Happens Next |
|---|---|---|
| Accept & Freeze | I want this seat and will NOT take upgrades | Seat is final. No further upgrades. You must join this college. |
| Accept & Float (Float) | I'll take this seat but want a better one if available | May get upgraded to a BETTER seat in higher-preference choices next round. |
| Reject & Float | I don't want this seat but want another | Seat cancelled. Will be re-allotted from your remaining choices next round. |
| Reject & Slide (Slide) | I don't want this seat | Seat cancelled. Only institute upgrade within same program. |
| Exit | I want to quit JoSAA entirely | All allotments cancelled. Partial refund of fee. Cannot re-enter. |
Best Strategy: In early rounds, choose Accept & Float to keep better seats open. Only choose Freeze in the final rounds when you're happy with your seat or it's your last round. Never "Exit" unless absolutely necessary — you lose your seat and most of your fee.
JEE Score & Admit Cards
JEE Main admit card, JEE Main score card, JEE Advanced admit card (if applicable).
Class X & XII Certificates
Original marksheet and passing certificate of Class X and Class XII from the recognized board.
Category Certificate
OBC-NCL / SC / ST / EWS certificate (if applicable) from competent authority. Must be current year.
PwD/Defence Certificate
PwD certificate from Civil Surgeon (if applicable). Wards of Defence personnel need relevant certificate.
Address & Identity Proof
Aadhaar card / passport / voter ID. Plus current address proof matching application details.
Photographs
6–10 recent passport-size photographs (same as used in JEE application). Carry extra copies.
| College | Branch | Closing Rank (Gen-OS) | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | CSE | 2,000–4,500 | Gen-OS |
| NIT Warangal | CSE | 2,500–5,000 | Gen-OS |
| NIT Surathkal | CSE | 3,500–6,500 | Gen-OS |
| NIT Kurukshetra | CSE | 8,000–15,000 | Gen-HS (Haryana) |
| NIT Kurukshetra | ECE | 12,000–22,000 | Gen-HS (Haryana) |
| NIT Delhi | CSE | 5,000–9,000 | Gen-OS |
| IIIT Hyderabad | CSE | 1,500–3,500 | Gen |
| IIIT Allahabad | IT | 7,000–12,000 | Gen-OS |
| DTU Delhi | CSE | 3,000–6,000 | Gen-OS |
| GFTIs (Various) | CSE / IT | 30,000–80,000 | Gen |
These are reference ranks from JoSAA 2024–25. Actual cutoffs vary each year. Check the official JoSAA data for your year. Home-state (HS) quota gives significant rank advantage in state NITs.