CSAB Counselling 2026 – Complete Guide

CSAB fills vacant NIT, IIIT, and GFTI seats after JoSAA Round 5. Check dates, eligibility, special round process, and strategy.

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What is CSAB 2026?

The Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) conducts counselling for seats in NITs, IIITs, and Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs) that remain vacant after all 5 rounds of JoSAA counselling. CSAB 2026 is the next opportunity for JEE Main qualified candidates who could not secure a seat through JoSAA.

CSAB runs Special Round 1 (SR1) and Special Round 2 (SR2), followed by the CSAB NEUT round — a special round for candidates from North-Eastern states (Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim) and Union Territories.

Types of CSAB Rounds in 2026

Round	Purpose	Who Can Apply
SR1 – Special Round 1	Fill seats vacant after JoSAA Round 5	All eligible JEE Main 2026 qualified candidates
SR2 – Special Round 2	Fill seats vacant after SR1	All eligible candidates; SR1 allottees who didn't report
CSAB NEUT	Seats for NE states and Union Territories	Candidates from Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal, Sikkim, and UTs

CSAB 2026 Eligibility

Must have a valid JEE Main 2026 rank (Paper 1)
75% aggregate in Class 12 (or top 20 percentile in board exam) — 65% for SC/ST candidates
Did not accept and join a JoSAA 2026 seat (freeze/slide accepted candidates who reported to institute are ineligible)
Candidates who withdrew from JoSAA before final reporting ARE eligible

CSAB 2026 Registration Process

Visit csab.nic.in and register with JEE Main 2026 Roll Number
Fill in personal and academic details; upload documents
Pay registration fee (expected ₹200–350)
Fill choices (institutes and branches, in order of preference)
Lock choices before the deadline
Wait for allotment result — accept seat if allotted
Pay seat acceptance fee and report to allotted institute

CSAB 2026 Timeline

JoSAA Round 5 Final: July 16, 2026 (done)
NIT+ Withdrawal Window: July 16–20, 2026
PAF Payment / Category Restoration: July 22–24, 2026
CSAB Registration & Vacancy Display Opened: July 28, 2026 (closed)
Mock Allotment: July 31, 2026 (done)
Registration/SREF Payment Closes: August 3, 2026 (done)
Choice Locking Deadline: August 5, 2026 (done)
SR1 Reporting: August 6–11, 2026 (done)
SR2 Reporting: August 12–17, 2026 (SR2 result declared; reporting in progress/underway)
Physical Institute Reporting: August 13–18, 2026 (underway)

*Dates per official CSAB 2026 schedule; later steps may be revised — verify at csab.nic.in.

Important Note

If you accepted and reported to a JoSAA allotted institute (Freeze/Final), you are NOT eligible for CSAB 2026. However, if you withdrew from JoSAA counselling before the final reporting date, you can participate in CSAB. Check the official CSAB notification carefully.

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Frequently Asked Questions – CSAB Counselling 2026

Common questions about CSAB 2026 counselling process, eligibility, and registration

What is CSAB counselling 2026?

CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) 2026 is a counselling process conducted after JoSAA Round 5 to fill vacant seats in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. It typically runs 2 Special Rounds (SR1 and SR2) and a CSAB NEUT round for candidates from North-Eastern states and Union Territories. Registration is at csab.nic.in.

Who can participate in CSAB 2026?

Candidates who have a valid JEE Main 2026 rank and meet the 75% in Class 12 criteria (65% for SC/ST) can participate in CSAB. This includes candidates who did not participate in JoSAA, did not receive any JoSAA allotment, or withdrew from JoSAA before the final reporting deadline.

When does CSAB 2026 start?

JoSAA Round 5 (final round) concluded July 16, 2026. The NIT+ withdrawal window ran July 16–20, followed by PAF payment/category restoration July 22–24. CSAB 2026 registration and vacancy display opened July 28, 2026 and closed August 3, 2026, with mock allotment held July 31. The SR1 result was declared August 6, 2026, and the SR2 result was declared August 12, 2026 — both CSAB special rounds are now complete. Official schedule is on csab.nic.in.

What is the difference between CSAB and JoSAA?

JoSAA runs 5 rounds in June–July and covers IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs (original seat pool). CSAB runs only 2–3 special rounds in July–August and covers only NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs using seats that remained vacant after JoSAA. CSAB registration is separate at csab.nic.in.

What is the CSAB registration fee for 2026?

CSAB registration typically costs ₹200–350, in line with past years. A seat acceptance fee of ₹30,000 (General/EWS/OBC) or ₹15,000 (SC/ST/PwD) is applicable if you receive and accept a seat allotment. Refer to the official CSAB 2026 notification on csab.nic.in for the exact registration fee charged this cycle.

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CSAB 2026 Links

CSAB 2026 Dates & Schedule CSAB Special Round 2026 CSAB Vacant Seats 2025 CSAB 2026 Registration CSAB 2026 Allotment CSAB Eligibility 2026 CSAB vs JoSAA Difference CSAB 2025 Cutoff Ranks CSAB College Predictor College Cutoffs

Disclaimer

CSAB 2026 registration closed August 3, 2026. Both special rounds (SR1 and SR2) are complete, with the SR2 result declared August 12, 2026. Verify the latest updates on csab.nic.in.