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JEE Counselling

2026

JoSAA

College Predictor

IITs · NITs · IIITs · GFTIs

Portal Guide

What's the Difference Between josaa.nic.in and csab.nic.in?

Two portals, different purposes — understand when to use each and how they fit into your 2026 admission strategy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Featurejosaa.nic.incsab.nic.in
Full NameJoint Seat Allocation AuthorityCentral Seat Allocation Board
Institutes CoveredIITs + NITs + IIITs + GFTIs (113+ institutes)NITs + IIITs + GFTIs only (no IITs)
Number of Rounds5 rounds2 rounds (Special + Round 2)
TimelineJune – JulyJuly – August (after JoSAA ends)
Who Can ApplyJEE Main + JEE Advanced qualifiersJEE Main qualifiers only
Login CredentialsJEE Main / JEE Advanced credentialsSame JEE Main credentials
Seat PoolAll available NTA-allocated seatsSeats vacated/unfilled after JoSAA
PurposePrimary seat allocationLast-chance for NIT/IIIT/GFTI seats

When Each Portal Is Active (2026 Timeline)

josaa.nic.in

JoSAA Registration Opens

June 2, 2026

josaa.nic.in

JoSAA Choice Filling + Mock Allotment

June 2–11, 2026

josaa.nic.in

JoSAA Round 1 Result

June 13, 2026

josaa.nic.in

JoSAA Rounds 2–5 (ongoing)

June 30 – July 16, 2026

csab.nic.in

JoSAA Ends / CSAB Opens

~late July 2026

csab.nic.in

CSAB Special Round

~July 12–18, 2026

csab.nic.in

CSAB Round 2 (Final)

~July 20–30, 2026

* Dates are approximate based on 2025 patterns. Check josaa.nic.in and csab.nic.in for official 2026 schedules.

What You Can Do on Each Portal

josaa.nic.in (JoSAA)

  • ✓ Register and create profile
  • ✓ Upload documents
  • ✓ Fill and order choices (IITs + NITs + IIITs + GFTIs)
  • ✓ View mock allotment
  • ✓ Lock choice list
  • ✓ View round allotment results
  • ✓ Pay seat acceptance fee
  • ✓ Select Freeze / Float / Slide
  • ✓ Withdraw from JoSAA

csab.nic.in (CSAB)

  • ✓ Fresh registration (new)
  • ✓ Fill choices for NITs + IIITs + GFTIs
  • ✓ View allotment results (2 rounds)
  • ✓ Pay seat acceptance fee
  • ✓ Accept or reject CSAB seat
  • ✗ No IIT options
  • ✗ No Float/Slide mechanism
  • ✗ Cannot use JoSAA seat alongside

Who Should Use CSAB?

CSAB is designed for candidates who fall into one of these situations after JoSAA concludes:

  • →You were not allotted any seat in all 5 rounds of JoSAA (all your choices had higher cutoffs than your rank).
  • →You were allotted a seat in JoSAA but voluntarily withdrew or did not accept it, and you still want a NIT/IIIT/GFTI seat.
  • →You missed the JoSAA registration deadline and are looking for any remaining NIT/IIIT/GFTI seats.
  • →You were allotted a lower-priority NIT/IIIT/GFTI and want to try for a seat that opened up due to withdrawals.

Important Note on Fees

If you accepted a JoSAA seat (paid seat acceptance fee) and then accept a CSAB seat, you forfeit the JoSAA seat acceptance fee. It will not be refunded. CSAB requires a fresh seat acceptance fee payment. Only use CSAB if you strongly prefer the CSAB allotment over your JoSAA seat.

1
Do I need to register separately for CSAB after JoSAA?
Yes, CSAB requires a separate registration at csab.nic.in. Your JoSAA registration does not automatically carry over. However, you use the same JEE Main credentials (application number and password) to log in. CSAB registration opens approximately 1–2 days after JoSAA Round 5 results are declared.
2
Can I participate in CSAB if I was allotted a seat in JoSAA?
Yes, you can participate in CSAB even if you were allotted a seat in JoSAA — but with conditions. If you were allotted an IIT seat via JEE Advanced in JoSAA, you cannot participate in CSAB. If you were allotted a NIT/IIIT/GFTI seat and want to try for a better option, you can register in CSAB. However, if CSAB allots you a seat and you accept it, you forfeit your JoSAA seat and the seat acceptance fee paid there.
3
Are the credentials the same for josaa.nic.in and csab.nic.in?
Yes, both portals use your JEE Main 2026 application number and password for login. JEE Advanced qualifiers also link their JEE Advanced roll number. The same login credentials work across both portals, though you need to complete a fresh registration on each portal separately.
4
Which portal should I use first — JoSAA or CSAB?
Always start with JoSAA (josaa.nic.in). JoSAA runs first (June–July) and has the largest seat pool including IITs. CSAB (csab.nic.in) runs only after all 5 JoSAA rounds are complete and is specifically for candidates who could not secure a seat in JoSAA or want to try for a different NIT/IIIT/GFTI seat. CSAB should be treated as a safety net, not a primary strategy.
5
What happens to my fees if I move from JoSAA to CSAB?
If you were allotted and accepted a seat in JoSAA, you paid a seat acceptance fee (₹35,000 for General/OBC, ₹15,000 for SC/ST/PwD). If you then accept a seat in CSAB and join that institute instead, you forfeit the JoSAA seat acceptance fee — it is not refunded. The CSAB seat acceptance fee is a fresh payment. Plan your finances accordingly and only participate in CSAB if you genuinely prefer the CSAB allotment.
College Predictor

Know Your College
Before Counselling

Predict your college using JoSAA 2025 cutoff data across IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.

135+
Institutes
3000+
Programmes
3 Years
Cutoff Data
JEE Main
JEE MainNITs · IIITs · GFTIs
JEE Advanced
JEE AdvancedAll 23 IITs
DASA / NRI
DASA / NRIForeign nationals
Predict My College

Related Links

Quick Rule

Always exhaust JoSAA (josaa.nic.in) first. Use CSAB (csab.nic.in) only as a fallback if JoSAA did not yield a satisfactory allotment.