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 Eligibility
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
Eligibility below is from the DASA 2026 UG brochure (version 1.5).
Nationality and age
- Foreign nationals, OCI cardholders, PIO cardholders and NRIs are eligible.
- Candidates must have been born on or after 1 October 2001. Date of birth is taken from the Class 10 or equivalent certificate, or a government certificate.
Academic eligibility
A valid JEE Main 2026 scorecard and rank are required: Paper 1 for B.E./B.Tech, Paper 2A for B.Arch and Paper 2B for B.Planning. Candidates also need Class 12 or equivalent with 75 percent marks (CGPA 7.5 out of 10) in aggregate in 5 subjects.
For B.E./B.Tech the subjects must include Mathematics, Physics and one of Chemistry, Biotechnology, Computer Science or Biology. For B.Arch, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, or a 10+3 diploma with Mathematics. For B.Planning, a 10+2 with Mathematics.
Candidates appearing for Class 12 in 2025-26 and expecting results by 30 September 2026 may also apply. If they cannot show the required marks, the seat is cancelled.
Conflicting figures online
Some third-party sites list 60 percent marks or an earlier birth date. Those are from older cycles; the 2026 brochure states 75 percent and 1 October 2001.
Residence requirement
All foreign nationals studying in any country, including India, and Indian nationals studying abroad can apply if they meet the criteria. For Indian nationals and OCI/PIO (I) candidates, the criterion is at least two years of education, Classes 11 and 12 or equivalent and not beyond, in a foreign country during the last 8 years, and the qualifying exam must be passed from abroad.
Category tags
| Tag | Who gets it |
|---|---|
| DASA (SAARC) | Foreign nationals, OCI and PIO who are nationals of SAARC countries other than India. 50% tuition fee waiver if the qualifying exam was passed in a SAARC country. |
| DASA (Non-SAARC) | Foreign nationals, OCI and PIO who are not SAARC nationals, plus NRIs. |
| DASA-CIWG | NRIs whose parent works or has worked in a Gulf country in 2026: UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar or Saudi Arabia. |
JoSAA seat holders
NRI or OCI/PIO candidates who have secured a seat in the NIT+ system in JoSAA 2026 can also take part in DASA as fresh candidates after paying the DEF. If a new seat is allotted in DASA, the earlier seat is automatically cancelled.