CSAB 2026 PwD Cutoff – Special Round Ranks

CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) fills seats left vacant in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs after JoSAA's main rounds, through two Special Rounds — SR1 and SR2. PwD (Persons with Disabilities) reservation applies as a horizontal reservation of 5%, cutting across every vertical category. In practical terms, this means 5% of General seats are General-PwD, 5% of OBC-NCL seats are OBC-NCL-PwD, and so on for EWS, SC, and ST — each category's PwD candidates compete only against other PwD candidates within that same category.

Because PwD is horizontal rather than vertical, a PwD candidate is first evaluated against their own category rank (say, General or OBC-NCL) and, within that pool, is prioritized for the PwD-reserved subset of seats. If no PwD candidate is available for a specific PwD seat, it can be de-reserved and offered to a non-PwD candidate of the same category in a later stage, following standard de-reservation norms.

Why PwD Seats Frequently Remain Vacant Until CSAB

PwD seats are numerically small at any single institute-branch combination — often just 1 or 2 seats — which makes exact matching difficult in JoSAA's rounds. Many PwD seats therefore remain unfilled after JoSAA and enter the CSAB pool. Because CSAB Special Rounds specifically target these leftover seats, PwD candidates often find CSAB to be a more productive counselling window than JoSAA itself, especially for niche branch-institute combinations.

To be eligible for PwD reservation in CSAB 2026, a candidate must have a benchmark disability of 40% or more as defined under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. Recognized categories include locomotor disability, visual impairment (blindness and low vision), hearing impairment (deaf and hard of hearing), and other specified disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disabilities, and multiple disabilities, subject to the certifying medical authority's assessment.

The disability certificate must be issued by a government hospital or a duly constituted medical board, in the format prescribed under the RPwD Act. If your certificate carries a review date (common for progressive or fluctuating conditions), ensure it remains valid through the counselling and admission period — an expired review-based certificate can jeopardize your PwD seat allotment even after provisional confirmation.

Because PwD seat availability is small and scattered, cast a wide net across NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs rather than fixating on 2-3 preferred institutes. Track vacancy position lists published before each CSAB round closely, since PwD seat vacancies (especially at newer NITs and GFTIs) may not follow predictable patterns from year to year.

Beyond the admission process itself, evaluate campus accessibility — ramps, accessible hostels, assistive technology in labs and libraries — for your specific disability before finalizing your choices, since this significantly affects your overall college experience. For detailed eligibility rules specific to PwD candidates in CSAB, see our companion guide on CSAB PwD eligibility.