For Female Candidates
JoSAA 2026: 3,104 Female Supernumerary Seats at IITs
Extra seats above regular intake — female candidates get additional chances at IIT branches via the supernumerary system
Female Seat Summary: JoSAA 2026
Regular (Gender-Neutral) Seats
64,219
Open to all candidates
Female Supernumerary Seats (IITs)
3,104
Female candidates only; extra above regular
Total JoSAA 2026 Seats
67,323
Including supernumerary
Female Supernumerary in 2025
3,310
Slightly higher last year
Institutes with Female Supernumerary
IITs only
Not at NITs, IIITs, or GFTIs
Female enrollment target (IITs)
~20%
Per branch, across IITs
How Supernumerary Seats Work — Step by Step
- 1Each IIT branch has a sanctioned intake, e.g., 60 seats in CSE at IIT X
- 2To ensure 20% female enrollment (12 female students in 60 seats), if only 8 female students qualify in the regular merit list, 4 female supernumerary seats are created
- 3These 4 extra seats are added above the 60 regular seats — total becomes 64
- 4Female candidates with lower JEE Advanced ranks than the gender-neutral cutoff can still get admission via supernumerary seats
- 5Male candidates are unaffected — no regular seats are taken away
- 6Female candidates choose both gender-neutral and supernumerary options in choice filling
1How many female supernumerary seats are there in JoSAA 2026?
JoSAA 2026 has 3,104 female supernumerary seats at IITs. These are in addition to the 64,219 regular seats (which are gender-neutral), making the total seat count 67,323.
2What are female supernumerary seats at IITs?
Female supernumerary seats are additional seats created above the regular intake at each IIT branch to ensure at least 20% female representation. For example, if a branch has 60 regular (gender-neutral) seats, up to 15 extra female-only seats may be added to reach 20% female enrollment. These extra seats do NOT displace male candidates.
3Are female supernumerary seats available at NITs and IIITs too?
No. Female supernumerary seats are only available at IITs in JoSAA 2026. NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs do not have the supernumerary system — they follow regular reservation rules (gender-neutral seats with category reservations).
4Why did female supernumerary seats decrease from 3,310 (2025) to 3,104 (2026)?
Female supernumerary seats at IITs are calculated dynamically based on the regular seat matrix — they are set to ensure ~20% female enrollment. As the regular IIT seat count and the proportion of female applicants shift, the exact number of supernumerary seats adjusts. A decrease in supernumerary seats may mean that female enrollment targets are being met more through regular seats in certain programs.
5What JEE Advanced rank do female candidates need for supernumerary seats?
Female supernumerary seats have a separate female-only closing rank in each branch. Generally, these closing ranks are more relaxed than the gender-neutral closing rank — giving female candidates a better chance at the same IIT branch. The exact female supernumerary closing ranks will be published after each JoSAA allotment round.
6How should female candidates use the supernumerary seat option in choice filling?
During choice filling, female candidates see separate entries for gender-neutral and female supernumerary seats for each program. You should fill both — put the gender-neutral choice higher (since it's open to all) and the female supernumerary choice below it. The system will automatically allot whichever seat you qualify for based on your rank.
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Related Pages
Female supernumerary seat policy applies only to IITs. Data from official JoSAA 2026 seat matrix at josaa.nic.in.