The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) has officially released the counselling schedule for engineering programme admissions for the 2026 academic session. Eligible candidates can commence registration and choice filling from tomorrow at 5 pm via the official JoSAA website. This counselling process is primarily designed for candidates who have qualified through national-level engineering entrance examinations and seek admission to participating institutes across India.
Overview of JoSAA Counselling 2026
JoSAA counselling will be conducted for candidates aspiring to secure admission into BTech programmes at participating institutions. Seats will be allocated based on factors including rank, category, preferred choices, seat availability, and academic criteria.
Participating Institutes in JoSAA 2026
A total of 121 institutes will participate in the counselling process. These include:
- 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
- 31 National Institutes of Technology (NITs)
- Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur
- 26 Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)
- 40 Other Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs)
Candidates will be allotted seats based on their eligibility and the preferences submitted during choice filling.
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Schedule: Key Dates
Here is a comprehensive look at the important dates:
- June 2, 2026: Registration and choice filling begins at 5 pm
- June 8, 2026: Mock seat allocation 1
- June 10, 2026: Mock seat allocation 2 and choice locking
- June 11, 2026: Registration and choice filling ends
- June 13, 2026: Round 1 seat allocation
- June 14, 2026: Online reporting begins
- June 26, 2026: Candidate response to queries and fee payment deadline
- June 29, 2026: Resolution of payment issues and last date to respond to queries
- June 30, 2026: Round 2 seat allocation
Additional dates and reporting-related details should be carefully checked on the official schedule.
Mock Seat Allocation and Choice Locking
Before the actual seat allotment process begins, JoSAA will release Mock Seat Allocation 1 on June 8 based on the choices submitted by candidates. A second mock allocation will be released subsequently to help candidates understand possible seat outcomes and make informed decisions. Candidates will also have the option to lock their choices during the specified window before the final allocation rounds commence. Candidates who qualify the Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT) will receive an additional opportunity to submit AAT-specific choices starting June 7, 2026, after the AAT result declaration.
About the Counselling Process
JoSAA counselling 2026 will be conducted in five rounds, along with an additional round for the IIT and NIT systems where applicable. Candidates are strongly advised to carefully complete registration, choice filling, document-related steps, and online reporting within the specified deadlines to avoid losing admission opportunities. Students should regularly visit the official JoSAA website for updates and further instructions regarding seat allotment and reporting procedures.
