JEE Main counselling update
CSAB Special Round 2026 has started
Fresh registration, fee payment and choice filling are now open for vacant seats in the NIT+ System. Here is the complete process without mixing it up with JoSAA, DASA or any other CSAB counselling route.
Use only csab.nic.in and the linked NIC counselling portal.
After the JoSAA rounds end, many students feel that their chance of getting an NIT, IIIT or another government-funded engineering institute is also over. That is not always true. Seats left vacant in the NIT+ System are offered through the CSAB Special Round counselling process.
CSAB Special Round Counselling 2026 is now active. The tentative vacant-seat list, fresh registration and choice filling started on 28 July 2026 at 10:00 AM. There will be two special seat-allocation rounds, and allotment will use the candidate's JEE Main 2026 rank, eligibility and saved choice order.
The process looks simple, but students often make mistakes because they reuse their old JoSAA order, read the vacancy PDF incorrectly or wait until the last day to pay. This guide explains the CSAB 2026 registration, choice filling, vacant seats, fees, willingness options and complete schedule in one place.
First understand what CSAB Special is
The name is similar to other counselling processes, but the seat pool and rules are specific.
CSAB stands for Central Seat Allocation Board. Its Special Rounds are conducted after JoSAA to fill vacant undergraduate seats in the NIT+ System. In this counselling, NIT+ covers National Institutes of Technology, IIEST Shibpur, Indian Institutes of Information Technology, Schools of Planning and Architecture and other Government Funded Technical Institutes.
Vacant NIT, IIEST, IIIT, SPA and other participating GFTI seats.
IIT seats are not offered through CSAB Special Rounds.
CSAB-NEUT, DASA and Supernumerary counselling have their own conditions.
The DASA and CSAB Special processes are being handled under a common online platform and schedule this year, but an Indian JEE Main candidate looking for NIT+ vacant seats must follow the CSAB Special rules in the official brochure.
JoSAA vs CSAB: JoSAA handles the main allocation rounds for IITs and the NIT+ System. CSAB Special comes later for NIT+ vacancies only. A seat not available in the JoSAA closing round may appear later, but no particular branch or institute is guaranteed to become vacant.
Who can participate in CSAB Special Round 2026?
Your JoSAA history changes the way you enter CSAB, but it does not automatically make you ineligible.
A candidate must be eligible through JEE Main 2026 and must satisfy the academic conditions for admission to the NIT+ System. The official brochure allows several types of candidates to take part, including students who never registered for JoSAA and students who participated but did not receive a seat.
No seat after JoSAA
You may participate if you were eligible for JoSAA but did not register, received no seat, validly exited, or lost a seat because the required JoSAA payment was not completed.
Already holding an NIT+ seat
A candidate who secured an NIT+ seat and paid SAF plus PAF may enter CSAB while retaining that seat, subject to the important replacement rule explained below.
Withdrew or seat was cancelled
Certain candidates who withdrew, faced document-verification cancellation or did not pay PAF may also be eligible under the candidate types listed in the brochure.
Class XII conditions still apply
The first Class XII appearance should normally be in 2024, 2025 or 2026, along with the required subjects and marks or top-20-percentile condition.
For the marks condition, candidates generally need at least 75% aggregate in Class XII, reduced to 65% for SC, ST and PwD candidates, or they must fall within their category-wise top 20 percentile. The subject combination changes for B.E./B.Tech., B.Arch. and B.Planning programmes, so students with improvement exams, unusual boards or special cases should read the eligibility annexures before paying.
Do not decide eligibility from social-media comments. Match your case with the candidate types and academic rules in the official CSAB 2026 information brochure. Registration does not protect a seat if the documents or programme-specific eligibility are later found invalid.
How to read the CSAB vacant-seat PDF
The vacancy list is useful, but it should not become your entire choice-filling plan.
The CSAB vacant seats 2026 document is a long institute-wise and programme-wise matrix. It is also commonly described as the CSAB seat matrix 2026, and it covers NIT, IIIT and GFTI vacant-seat rows with the institute, programme, quota, category, seat pool and tentative number of vacancies. Search the PDF using the institute or programme name instead of scrolling through every page.
| Vacancy column | What to check | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Institute and programme | Read the complete campus and course name. | Assuming two similarly named campuses are the same. |
| Quota | Check Home State, Other State or the quota shown. | Counting a seat that does not belong to your quota. |
| Category | Match the category accepted in your CSAB profile. | Reading the total row instead of the eligible category row. |
| Seat pool | Check Gender-Neutral or Female-Only pool carefully. | Combining both pools while estimating chances. |
| Vacancy | Treat the displayed number as tentative. | Believing the number can never increase or decrease. |
The most important official vacancy rule: the displayed matrix is tentative. Additional seats can become available later. CSAB advises candidates to fill desired eligible choices even when a programme is not currently shown as vacant.
This does not mean you should add a college you would never join. It means your preference order should be based on what you genuinely want, not only on the vacancy number visible on one day. All eligible programmes can appear in the candidate portal irrespective of their present vacancy status.
CSAB choice filling strategy that stays practical
The system considers the order you submit, so your list should reflect real preference.
Old JoSAA choices become null for CSAB Special. You have to fill fresh choices after completing the fee payment. Start with the institute-programme combination you want the most, then move down in true preference order. Do not place a weaker option above a better option only because you think it is easier to get.
Branches and institutes you strongly prefer even if their previous closing rank looks difficult.
Options around your rank range after comparing earlier opening and closing ranks.
Acceptable colleges and programmes you would actually join if higher choices do not work.
Previous-year closing ranks can help you build a wider list, but they cannot predict the exact CSAB 2026 cutoff. Vacancy movement, category, quota, seat pool and the choices of other students change every year.
- Fill every suitable programme you are willing to join, including desired options not presently shown vacant.
- Check branch restrictions and special eligibility before adding a programme.
- Save the list frequently. Unsaved choices are not treated as valid choices.
- Review institute name, campus, programme, quota and order before locking.
- Save at least one choice and download the locked-choice printout for your record.
If you lock early and need a change, the portal permits an online unlock request using OTP before the choice-filling deadline. After 5 August 2026 at 2:00 PM, the order cannot be changed, a choice cannot be added and an existing choice cannot be removed.
CSAB 2026 registration and choice-filling steps
Complete the process from the official portal and keep payment proof.
- Open the CSAB Special page. Follow the candidate registration link provided on csab.nic.in. Avoid links sent by unknown groups or unofficial payment pages.
- Complete fresh registration. Use the required JEE Main 2026 details and verify the personal information shown in your profile. A JoSAA registration alone is not valid here.
- Read your candidate type and payable amount. Your JoSAA payment history can affect the amount displayed, so rely on the portal calculation for your case.
- Pay the SREF. Complete payment before 3 August at 10:00 AM. Download the receipt and do not wait for the final minutes.
- Add refund-bank details. Enter the account holder name, account number, IFSC and bank name, then upload the cancelled cheque or stamped passbook front page for the same account.
- Fill fresh choices. Build a broad preference list, save it repeatedly and check special programme eligibility.
- Use the mock allocation as feedback. The mock result is an indicator based on choices saved by the specified cut-off; it is not the final allotment.
- Lock and download. Finish the final review before 5 August at 2:00 PM, lock the list and retain a copy.
If you save choices but do not manually lock them, the last saved list is scheduled to be system-locked at the deadline. However, depending completely on auto-lock is risky. A list with no saved choice will not be considered for seat allocation.
CSAB registration fee and seat-acceptance payment
SREF is paid during registration; IAF-II applies after allotment to eligible fresh allottees.
| Payment | GEN / GEN-EWS / OBC-NCL | SC / ST / PwD | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| SREF | Rs. 40,000 | Rs. 19,000 | After fresh registration and before choice filling. |
| IAF-II | Rs. 35,000 | Rs. 16,000 | After allotment for a candidate choosing Freeze, Slide or Float, where applicable. |
The Special Round Enrolment Fee includes Institute Admission Fee-I and a non-refundable Special Round Processing Fee of Rs. 5,000. Candidates who already paid JoSAA seat payments under the applicable candidate types may see an adjusted amount rather than the full SREF. The candidate portal should be treated as the final payable amount for an individual case.
IAF-II is mandatory for applicable candidates accepting a newly allotted seat with Freeze, Slide or Float. A candidate who already secured an NIT+ seat after paying PAF in JoSAA, identified as Type 6 in the brochure, does not pay IAF-II again.
Refund decisions depend on your exact path. The Rs. 5,000 processing component is non-refundable, and additional deductions or non-refund conditions can apply after allotment, surrender, withdrawal, reporting failure or document rejection. Read the official refund section before taking a willingness decision.
CSAB Special Round Counselling 2026 schedule
All times below are in Indian Standard Time and come from the official schedule.
| Activity | Date and time |
|---|---|
| Display of vacancies after JoSAA | 28 July, 10:00 AM |
| Registration, SREF payment and choice filling start | 28 July, 10:00 AM |
| Choice snapshot used for mock allocation | 30 July, 5:00 PM |
| Mock seat allocation display | 31 July, 10:00 AM |
| Registration and SREF payment end | 3 August, 10:00 AM |
| Resolution of eligible payment-attempt issues | 4 August, 5:00 PM |
| Choice filling and locking end | 5 August, 2:00 PM |
| CSAB Special Round I seat-allotment result | 6 August, 5:00 PM |
| Round I willingness, reporting, IAF-II, documents and query response | 6 August, 5:00 PM to 10 August, 5:00 PM |
| Last date to answer Round I verification queries | 11 August, 5:00 PM |
| CSAB Special Round II seat-allotment result | 12 August, 5:00 PM |
| Round II reporting, IAF-II, documents and query response | 12 August, 5:00 PM to 14 August, 5:00 PM |
| Last date to answer Round II verification queries | 17 August, 5:00 PM |
| Tentative physical reporting window | 13 to 18 August |
The CSAB Round 1 result is scheduled for 6 August, while the CSAB Round 2 result is scheduled for 12 August. The physical reporting dates are tentative. A confirmed candidate must check the allotted institute's own website for the actual reporting date, balance institute fee and start of classes.
Already holding a JoSAA NIT+ seat? Read this first
This is the rule that can completely change your admission position.
A candidate who secured an NIT+ seat in JoSAA and paid both SAF and PAF can join CSAB Special while initially retaining that seat. During CSAB choice filling, the retained JoSAA seat is automatically treated as the last choice, while all fresh CSAB choices are placed above it.
If CSAB allots you a new seat, your earlier retained JoSAA seat is automatically cancelled. You cannot reject the new CSAB allotment and return to the old JoSAA seat. Therefore, every choice above the retained seat must be an option you genuinely prefer.
If no higher fresh choice is allotted, the retained seat can continue according to the applicable rules. Do not add a branch merely to “test your luck.” A new allotment is a replacement, not an extra seat that you can compare later.
Freeze, Float, Slide, Surrender, Withdraw and Exit
Choose willingness only after understanding what happens to the current seat.
If you receive your first choice, Freeze is the only way to retain it because there is no higher preference in your list. In the final round, allotments are treated as Freeze. A higher-choice allotment also replaces the lower seat held earlier.
After a seat allotment, simply seeing the result is not enough. Complete willingness, applicable payment, document upload and query response within the reporting window. Incomplete online reporting can cancel the seat and remove the candidate from further rounds.
Documents to keep ready for online reporting
The exact upload requirement depends on your category, nationality and earlier JoSAA verification.
- Class X marksheet or certificate, Aadhaar or birth certificate for date of birth
- Class XII marksheet and qualifying-examination certificate
- JEE Main 2026 admit card
- SC, ST, OBC-NCL or GEN-EWS certificate, if applicable
- PwD certificate or writing-difficulty certificate, if applicable
- Crossed cancelled cheque or passbook image with bank details
- Medical certificate in the prescribed CSAB format
- OCI certificate, PIO card, passport or citizenship proof, if applicable
OBC-NCL and GEN-EWS certificates must meet the current format and date requirements; the brochure states that these certificates should be issued on or after 1 April 2026. State-specific validation requirements can also apply. If a document is not in English or Hindi, keep a duly certified translation as described in the brochure.
Candidates whose documents were successfully verified in JoSAA Rounds 1 to 5 may not have to upload and verify all documents again. Even then, keep checking the portal. CSAB warns that candidates may not receive a separate message for every verifier query, and an unanswered query can damage the admission.
Mistakes that can cost a CSAB seat
Most problems happen because of timing, preference order or incomplete reporting.
- Thinking that JoSAA registration and old choices will automatically carry into CSAB.
- Waiting until the choice-lock deadline to register, even though registration closes earlier.
- Reading a vacancy without checking quota, category and seat pool.
- Filling only programmes with a visible vacancy and ignoring genuinely preferred choices.
- Placing a less preferred branch higher merely because its earlier cutoff looks easier.
- Adding a new CSAB choice above a retained JoSAA seat without understanding the replacement rule.
- Paying the fee but forgetting to save at least one choice.
- Missing a document-verification query after allotment.
- Assuming the tentative physical-reporting window is the final institute schedule.
- Sharing login details or making payment through an unofficial website.
If you are also comparing alternative engineering admission routes outside JEE-based NIT+ counselling, read this guide on B.Tech admission options without JEE. Keep that decision separate from your locked CSAB preference order.
Official CSAB links and helpdesk
Bookmark these pages instead of depending on screenshots shared in groups.
For counselling support, the official brochure lists info.csab2026@iiests.ac.in and the multilingual helpdesk number +91-9230189233. The stated working hours are 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions students are asking after registration started.
Q. Has CSAB Special Round Counselling 2026 started?
Ans. Yes. The official CSAB website shows that registration, SREF payment and choice filling started on 28 July 2026 at 10:00 AM.
Q. What is the last date for CSAB 2026 registration?
Ans. Fresh registration and SREF payment close on 3 August 2026 at 10:00 AM. Payment issues are considered only under the official attempted-payment conditions.
Q. What is the last date for CSAB choice filling?
Ans. Choice filling and choice locking close on 5 August 2026 at 2:00 PM. This deadline is later than the registration and fee-payment deadline.
Q. Do I need fresh registration if I already registered for JoSAA?
Ans. Yes. JoSAA registration is not valid as CSAB Special registration. Eligible candidates must register again on the CSAB portal.
Q. Will my JoSAA choices be used in CSAB?
Ans. No. Earlier JoSAA choices become null for CSAB Special. You must create and save a fresh preference list.
Q. Can I fill a programme that shows no vacancy?
Ans. Yes, if it is displayed as eligible in your portal and you genuinely want it. The official matrix is tentative, and additional vacancies may appear later.
Q. Are IIT seats available in CSAB Special?
Ans. No. CSAB Special fills vacant seats in the NIT+ System; IIT seats are not part of this process.
Q. How many CSAB Special rounds will be held?
Ans. The official 2026 brochure provides two special seat-allocation rounds. Round I is scheduled for 6 August and Round II for 12 August.
Q. Can I keep my JoSAA seat if CSAB gives me another seat?
Ans. No. If a candidate retaining a JoSAA NIT+ seat receives a fresh CSAB allotment, the earlier seat is cancelled and cannot be reclaimed.
Q. Is the CSAB vacancy list final?
Ans. No. It is a tentative seat matrix. Use it for planning, but keep your preference list based on genuine choice because seat availability can change.
