JEE Main 2026 Seat Matrix: Complete Breakdown
Understanding the seat matrix is crucial for strategic choice filling during JoSAA counselling. This guide provides complete information about seat distribution across NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs for JEE Main 2026.
Total Seats Through JEE Main 2026
- NITs: 20,046 Total Seats
- IIITs: 6,528 Total Seats
- GFTIs: 3,876 Total Seats
- All Institutes: 30,450 Total Seats
NIT Seat Distribution 2026
- All India Quota (AIQ): 50% seats open to all candidates
- Home State Quota (HS): 50% seats reserved for home state candidates
- Other State Quota (OS): Remaining seats after HS allocation
Top NITs with Seat Matrix
| Institute | Total Seats | AIQ Seats | Home State Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | 909 | 455 | 454 (Tamil Nadu) |
| NIT Rourkela | 898 | 449 | 449 (Odisha) |
| NIT Warangal | 892 | 446 | 446 (Telangana) |
| NIT Surathkal | 853 | 427 | 426 (Karnataka) |
| NIT Kurukshetra | 812 | 406 | 406 (Haryana) |
| NIT Allahabad | 756 | 378 | 378 (Uttar Pradesh) |
| NIT Durgapur | 728 | 364 | 364 (West Bengal) |
| NIT Jamshedpur | 702 | 351 | 351 (Jharkhand) |
| NIT Calicut | 678 | 339 | 339 (Kerala) |
| NIT Nagpur | 645 | 323 | 322 (Maharashtra) |
IIIT Seat Distribution 2026
All India Quota: 100% seats (no state quota) - All candidates compete for all seats based on JEE Main rank
Top IIITs with Seat Matrix
| Institute | Total Seats | Popular Branches |
|---|---|---|
| IIIT Allahabad | 321 | CSE, ECE, IT |
| IIIT Hyderabad | 280 | CSE, ECE, Computational Linguistics |
| IIIT Bangalore | 252 | CSE, ECE, Data Sciences |
| IIIT Delhi | 238 | CSE, ECE, CB |
| ABV-IIITM Gwalior | 312 | CSE, IT, ECE |
| ABV-IIITM Jabalpur | 298 | CSE, ECE, IT |
| IIIT Sri City | 240 | CSE, ECE |
| IIIT Kottayam | 224 | CSE, ECE |
| IIIT Kancheepuram | 198 | CSE, ECE |
| IIIT Una | 180 | CSE, ECE |
Category-wise Seat Distribution
NITs - Category Distribution
| Category | Reservation % | Approximate Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Open (GEN) | 50.5% | 10,123 |
| EWS | 10% | 2,005 |
| OBC-NCL | 27% | 5,412 |
| SC | 15% | 3,007 |
| ST | 7.5% | 1,503 |
| PwD | 5% (horizontal) | 1,002 |
Important Notes
- PwD reservation is horizontal across all categories
- Female candidates are eligible for Supernumerary seats in NITs (20% additional)
- EWS category applicable as per government guidelines
- Kashmiri Migrant (KM) candidates have 1-2 seats per institute
GFTI Seat Distribution 2026
GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes) also participate in JoSAA counselling through JEE Main ranks.
Notable GFTIs
| Institute | Total Seats | Location |
|---|---|---|
| IIEST Shibpur | 405 | West Bengal |
| BIT Mesra | 385 | Jharkhand |
| Thapar University | 312 | Punjab |
| College of Engineering Pune | 298 | Maharashtra |
| MBM Jodhpur | 265 | Rajasthan |
| ICT Mumbai | 252 | Maharashtra |
| Harcourt Butler Technical University | 238 | Uttar Pradesh |
Branch-wise Seat Distribution
NITs - Branch Distribution (Approximate)
| Branch | Seats (Approx) | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science (CSE) | 3,200 | 16% |
| Electronics (ECE/EEE) | 4,500 | 22% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 4,200 | 21% |
| Civil Engineering | 3,800 | 19% |
| Electrical Engineering | 2,100 | 10% |
| Chemical Engineering | 1,200 | 6% |
| Others (IT, Bio-Tech, etc.) | 1,046 | 6% |
Ranks Required for Different Categories
NIT Trichy (Top NIT) - Rank Range
| Branch | General | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSE | 500-1500 | 2000-4000 | 5000-8000 | 8000-15000 | 1500-3000 |
| ECE | 1500-3000 | 4000-7000 | 8000-12000 | 15000-20000 | 3000-6000 |
| Mechanical | 3000-6000 | 7000-12000 | 12000-18000 | 20000-25000 | 6000-10000 |
IIIT Hyderabad - Rank Range
| Branch | General | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | EWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSE | 100-500 | 500-1000 | 1500-2500 | 2000-4000 | 300-800 |
| ECE | 500-1000 | 1000-2000 | 2500-4000 | 4000-6000 | 800-1500 |
Choice Filling Strategy
- Prioritize Branch vs Institute: Decide what matters more - CSE at lower NIT or Mechanical at top NIT. For long-term corporate careers, branch preference may win.
- Understand Home State Advantage: In NITs, you have 50% home state quota. Know your home state NIT and its cutoff - this can be your safety option.
- Fill All Choices: Don't leave any choices blank. Fill as many institutes and branches as possible to maximize your chances.
- Research Placement Records: Look at last 3 years' placement data for your preferred branches. This helps in making informed decisions.
- Consider Location: Location matters for internships, placements, and industry exposure. Metro city NITs/IIITs have advantages.
Key Takeaways
- 30,450+ seats available through JEE Main 2026
- NITs have home state quota (50% seats reserved)
- IIITs are 100% All India - no state quota
- Top 10,000 rank can get CSE in top NITs
- Top 50,000 rank can get good branches in NITs/IIITs
- Category cutoffs vary significantly - check your category specific cutoffs
Use our College Predictor tool to see which institutes and branches you can get based on your expected JEE Main rank!