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JoSAA Rounds and Schedule: How the 5 Rounds Work (2026 Dates, Withdrawal and CSAB)

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Official 2026 Rules

JoSAA Rounds and Schedule: How the 5 Rounds Work (2026 Dates, Withdrawal and CSAB)

By Team JEE Prep Master · Updated 29 October 2026 · ~8 min read

JoSAA 2026 had 5 rounds, from 13 June to 16 July. Choice filling ran from 2 to 11 June with two mock allocations. You can withdraw or exit from Round 2, but for IIT seats only until the end of Round 4. NIT+ vacant seats then go to the CSAB special rounds.

Here is the full 2026 timeline and what to do in each round, from the official JoSAA 2026 Business Rules. We will add the 2027 dates as soon as they are announced.

5
Rounds in JoSAA 2026
2
Mock allocations before Round 1
Round 4
Last chance to withdraw an IIT seat
2.11 lakh
Candidates registered in 2026

JoSAA 2026 Schedule, Round by Round

Step2026 dateWhat happens
Registration and choice filling2 to 11 JuneFree. Pre-payment and document pre-upload also open
Mock allocation 18 JuneBased on choices filled by 7 June
Mock allocation 210 JuneBased on choices filled by 9 June; choice locking opens
Choices auto-locked11 June, 5 pmNo changes after this
Round 113 JuneOnline reporting till 26 June; queries till 29 June
Round 230 JuneReporting till 3 July; withdraw/exit opens
Round 36 JulyReporting till 8 July
Round 410 JulyReporting till 13 July; last chance to withdraw or exit for IITs/IISc (14 July)
Round 5 (final for IITs/IISc)16 JulyReporting till 20 July
NIT+ withdrawaltill 20 JulyNIT+ seats can be withdrawn until the end of Round 5
Partial Admission Fee (NIT+)22 to 24 JulyThen CSAB special rounds for NIT+ seats

Source: JoSAA 2026 Business Rules (1 June 2026), Annexure 3. JoSAA 2027 dates will be announced on josaa.nic.in after JEE Advanced 2027; we will update this page then.

JoSAA 2026 ran 5 rounds across 138 institutes. 2,11,310 candidates registered and filled 3.57 crore choices in total (JEE (Advanced) 2026 Report, Volume I, JoSAA statistics).

What You Do in Each Round

  1. Check the portal. JoSAA sends no separate message about seats; you must log in after each allocation (clause 41).
  2. If you got a seat: accept it with freeze, float or slide, upload documents, pay the seat acceptance fee (only the first time), and answer queries before the round deadline (clause 42).
  3. If you didn't get a seat: do nothing. You stay in the process and are considered again next round.
  4. If you hold a seat and floated or slid: just check whether you moved up. An upgrade replaces your old seat automatically.

Withdraw and Exit: The Round 4 Deadline

  • Withdraw (you hold a seat): allowed from Round 2. For IIT/IISc seats the last chance is the end of Round 4 (14 July 2026, 5 pm); for NIT+ seats, the end of Round 5 (20 July 2026). You get your fee back minus ₹7,000 and leave JoSAA (clauses 63 and 64).
  • Exit (you have no seat yet): allowed from Round 2 to Round 4 (clause 68).
  • The withdrawal form must be signed by a parent or guardian, then uploaded and confirmed with an OTP (clause 66, Annexure 8).

The big trap: if you have no seat after Round 4, don't exit, and then get a seat in Round 5, you are treated as having accepted it. That makes you ineligible for JEE Advanced 2027 (clause 70). If you plan to drop a year, decide before Round 5.

After JoSAA: CSAB Special Rounds

There is no spot or special round for IITs and IISc. Vacant NIT+ seats, including seats freed when students don't pay the Partial Admission Fee, go to the CSAB special rounds, run separately on csab.nic.in after JoSAA ends (clauses 62, 65 and 67). Students who hold NIT+ seats report physically at their institute only after the CSAB special rounds (clause 54).

CSAB publishes its own rules and dates each year; we will cover them when the 2027 CSAB notice is out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many rounds are there in JoSAA?

JoSAA 2026 had 5 rounds. Round 5 was the final round for IITs and IISc. NIT+ vacant seats then go to the CSAB special rounds.

When does JoSAA 2027 start?

JoSAA 2027 dates are not out yet. In 2026, registration opened on 2 June, the day after the JEE Advanced result, and Round 1 was on 13 June.

What is the last date to withdraw a seat in JoSAA?

In 2026: 14 July (end of Round 4) for IIT and IISc seats, and 20 July (end of Round 5) for NIT+ seats.

Is there a spot round for IITs?

No. JoSAA has no spot or special round for IITs and IISc. Special rounds for NIT+ seats are run by CSAB.

Do I need to do anything if I don't get a seat in Round 1?

No. You are considered again in the next round automatically. Don't exit unless you are sure you don't want any seat.

What happens if I get a seat for the first time in the last round?

If you didn't exit before the last round, a seat given in Round 5 counts as accepted, and you can't sit JEE Advanced 2027.

Related Guides

Sources: JoSAA 2026 Business Rules (1 June 2026), Annexure 3 and clauses 41 to 70; JEE (Advanced) 2026 Report, Volume I, JoSAA statistics (p. 5 to 6).