CSAB 2026 EWS Cutoff – Special Round Ranks

CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) fills the seats that remain vacant in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs after JoSAA's main rounds conclude. EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates — those from the General category who meet the specified income and asset criteria — receive 10% central reservation across this seat matrix, applied consistently across CSAB's Special Round 1 (SR1) and Special Round 2 (SR2), just as it is in JoSAA.

EWS is unique among the reserved categories in that it is not caste-based but purely income/asset-based, drawn from within the otherwise "General" pool. Because EWS candidates share the same broad academic distribution as General category candidates (income level does not strongly correlate with exam performance), the gap between EWS and General cutoffs tends to be much narrower than the gap seen for SC, ST, or even OBC-NCL categories.

How CSAB EWS Cutoffs Compare to JoSAA

In JoSAA, EWS seats at top-demand NITs like Trichy, Warangal, and Surathkal generally fill by the middle rounds. When CSAB begins, EWS vacancies are usually found at newer or lower-demand NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Because EWS applicant volume is proportionally larger (10% reservation applied to a large base) compared to SC/ST, the relative "opening up" of cutoffs between JoSAA's final round and CSAB tends to be more modest for EWS than for SC/ST/OBC-NCL, but real upgrade opportunities do exist, especially in branch combinations that saw low demand.

The EWS certificate must confirm that the candidate's family gross annual income is below ₹8 lakh for the financial year immediately preceding the application, and that the family does not own disqualifying assets: more than 5 acres of agricultural land, a residential flat of 1000 sq ft or above, a residential plot of 100 sq yards or more in notified municipal areas, or 200 sq yards or more in non-notified areas. All the income and asset conditions must be met together — failing even one disqualifies the candidate from EWS status.

Like OBC-NCL, the EWS certificate is time-bound and must be freshly issued for the current financial year (on or after 1 April 2026 for 2026 admissions). It must be issued by a competent authority — typically Tehsildar, SDM, or District Magistrate — in the prescribed central government format. An outdated or improperly formatted EWS certificate is one of the most common reasons candidates lose their EWS seat consideration during CSAB document verification, so renewing it close to the counselling dates is strongly recommended.

EWS is Locked at JEE Main Registration

Your category (General, EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST) is fixed based on what you declared during JEE Main application/registration. If you registered as General, you cannot retroactively claim EWS benefits during CSAB counselling even if you subsequently obtain a valid EWS certificate — the category must have been declared upfront.

Since the EWS-General cutoff gap is narrower than other reserved categories, EWS candidates should treat CSAB primarily as a genuine upgrade opportunity rather than expecting dramatically relaxed cutoffs. Focus on institutes and branches where JoSAA demand was moderate — mid-tier NITs, specific GFTI branches, and some IIITs — where even a small EWS relaxation can translate into a meaningfully better outcome.

As always, fill a broad set of 40+ choices spanning NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs in both Home State and Other State quota to maximize your chances within CSAB's compressed two-round timeline.