DASA 2027
Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) UG Scheme
DASA is the Ministry of Education scheme that gives foreign nationals, OCI and PIO cardholders and NRIs supernumerary seats in NITs, IIITs, SPAs and other centrally funded institutes. There is no DASA exam: seats are allotted on JEE Main rank.
- Conducted by
- DASA seat allocation, coordinated by IIEST Shibpur with technical support from NIC, under the Ministry of Education and run along with CSAB
- Mode
- No separate entrance test; online seat allocation on the basis of JEE Main rank
- Frequency
- Once a year, after JoSAA
- Duration
- Not applicable (admission is by JEE Main rank)
DASA 2027: Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern
Updated on 18 October 2026 · Compiled from official DASA seat allocation, coordinated by IIEST Shibpur with technical support from NIC, under the Ministry of Education and run along with CSAB notices
DASA is a counselling scheme, not an examination. There is no DASA question paper, syllabus or admit card, so those tabs are left out.
About DASA
Direct Admission of Students Abroad is a Ministry of Education scheme that offers supernumerary seats in NITs, IIEST Shibpur, IIITs, SPAs and other centrally funded institutes to foreign nationals, Overseas Citizens of India, Persons of Indian Origin and Non-Resident Indians. There is no DASA exam. Seats are allotted by an online process hosted with CSAB on the basis of the JEE Main rank, in B.E./B.Tech, B.Arch and B.Planning. Applicants need the stated Class 12 marks and must meet the age limit in the brochure. The 2026 cycle had two allotment rounds and ended in August 2026. The 2027 brochure has not been released.
DASA 2027 at a glance
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam name | Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) UG Scheme |
| Conducted by | DASA seat allocation, coordinated by IIEST Shibpur with technical support from NIC, under the Ministry of Education and run along with CSAB |
| Frequency | Once a year, after JoSAA |
| Mode | No separate entrance test; online seat allocation on the basis of JEE Main rank |
| Duration | Not applicable (admission is by JEE Main rank) |
| Language | Not applicable |
| Courses | B.E./B.Tech (JEE Main Paper 1), B.Arch (Paper 2A) and B.Planning (Paper 2B) |
| Accepted by | NITs, IIEST Shibpur, IIITs, SPAs, other GFTIs and a few other technical institutes listed in the DASA brochure |
| Official website | csab.nic.in |
Key dates
DASA 2027 brochure and schedule
Expected May to July 2027
DASA 2027 registration and rounds
Expected after JoSAA 2027, around late July 2027
What DASA is
Direct Admission of Students Abroad is a Ministry of Education scheme under which foreign nationals, Overseas Citizens of India, Persons of Indian Origin and Non-Resident Indians can take admission in participating institutes for the academic year 2026-27. Admission is on the basis of JEE Main 2026.
The seat allocation is a common online process, hosted on the same portal as CSAB (csab.nic.in) and described as DASA and CSAB Special Rounds 2026. Qualifying does not guarantee admission and each institute may add its own eligibility rules.
SAT is not used
Some older web pages say DASA UG admission needs an SAT score. The DASA 2026 UG brochure bases admission only on a valid JEE Main 2026 rank. SAT is not mentioned.
How DASA differs from JoSAA
| Point | DASA | JoSAA |
|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Foreign nationals, OCI, PIO and NRI candidates | Indian candidates with JEE Main or Advanced ranks |
| Seats | Supernumerary, up to 15% extra at each program | Regular seats |
| Institutes | NITs, IIEST, IIITs, SPAs, other GFTIs and some more | IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs |
| Fee | US$ 300 registration plus first-semester tuition up front | JoSAA seat acceptance fee |
| Portal | csab.nic.in | josaa.nic.in |
Source: DASA 2026 UG Information Brochure (version 1.5).
Who coordinates
The DASA 2026 brochure names IIEST Shibpur as the coordinating institute, and says the brochure was endorsed by the CSAB core committee. NIC provides the e-counselling services. The brochure warns that no agency other than DASA is responsible for seat allocation, and anyone using an outside agent does so at their own risk.
Explore DASA 2027
- DASA DatesRegistration, exam and result timeline
- DASA Application FormSteps, fee, documents and photo rules
- DASA EligibilityWho can apply, attempts and age
- DASA ResultScorecard, rank and what comes next
- DASA CutoffQualifying marks and admission cutoffs
- DASA CounsellingRounds, choice filling and documents
- DASA PreparationStudy plan, strategy and mistakes
- DASA All GuidesEvery guide, predictor and article
Frequently asked questions
Is there a DASA exam?
No. DASA UG admission is based on the JEE Main rank. There is no separate paper, syllabus or admit card.
Is SAT required for DASA UG?
No. The DASA 2026 UG brochure requires a valid JEE Main 2026 rank. SAT is not used.
Who can apply under DASA?
Foreign nationals, OCI cardholders, PIO cardholders and NRIs who meet the age, marks and residence rules.
How many seats does DASA offer?
Supernumerary seats of up to 15 percent of each institute's program-wise seats. The seat matrix is published on csab.nic.in.
What is CIWG?
Children of Indian Workers in Gulf. 5 percent of seats within the 15 percent are reserved for NRIs whose parent works or has worked in a Gulf country in 2026.
What is the DASA fee?
US$ 4,300 for Non-SAARC (US$ 300 plus US$ 4,000), US$ 2,300 for SAARC, and US$ 300 plus Rs 62,500 for CIWG, in 2026.
What marks are required in Class 12?
75 percent or 7.5 CGPA out of 10 in aggregate in 5 subjects, with the subject combination for the chosen program.
What is the age limit?
Born on or after 1 October 2001 in the 2026 cycle.
How many rounds are there?
Two rounds in 2026, after a mock allocation. Check the new brochure for 2027.
Can I take part if I already have a JoSAA NIT seat?
Yes, if you are an NRI or OCI/PIO candidate who meets the criteria. A new DASA seat cancels the earlier one.
Is the registration fee refundable?
No. The US$ 300 is never refunded. Tuition refund depends on what you do, as set out in the counselling tab.
Where is the official site?
csab.nic.in for UG. The dasanit.org site is the DASA website and carries PG details and archives.