The CSAB Special Rounds provide an important opportunity for candidates who were not allotted a seat during JoSAA counselling or wish to compete for the remaining vacant seats in National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs) based on their JEE Main 2026 ranks.
Candidates are advised to complete the registration process well before the closing date and carefully submit their fresh choices for seat allotment.
CSAB 2026 Registration &
Choice Filling Schedule
The online registration
process for CSAB Special Round 2026 will remain open from July 28 to
August 3, 2026, while candidates can continue filling and modifying their
choices until August 5, 2026.
Unlike JoSAA counselling, every
eligible candidate must complete a fresh registration to participate in the
CSAB Special Rounds. Registrations completed earlier through the JoSAA portal will
not be considered valid for CSAB counselling.
Who Can Apply for CSAB 2026 Special Counselling?
The CSAB Special Rounds are primarily meant for candidates who:
- Did not receive any seat through JoSAA counselling.
- Wish to compete for vacant seats available after JoSAA.
- Possess a valid JEE Main 2026 rank for the respective programme.
How to Register for CSAB Special Round 2026
Candidates must complete a fresh online registration through the official CSAB website.
Registration Process
Step 1: Log in using your JEE Main 2026 credentials.
Step 2:Complete the OTP verification process.
Step 3:Verify all personal and academic details before submitting the application.
Step 4:Complete document verification and pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF).
CSAB 2026 Special Round
Registration & Choice Filling Link: To be activated.
Payment of Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF)
After completing registration, every candidate must pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF) through any of the following payment modes:
- Net Banking
- Debit Card
- Credit Card
- State Bank of India (SBI) e-Challan
Only candidates who successfully complete the payment process will be considered for seat allotment.
CSAB Counselling 2026 Special Round Fee Details
| Category | SREF (IAF-I + SRPF) - to be paid after registration | IAF-II - to be paid after seat allotment |
|---|---|---|
| GEN/GEN-EWS/OBC-NCL | INR 40,000/- | INR 35,000/- |
| SC/ST/PwD | INR 19,000/- | INR 16,000/- |
Fresh Choice Filling is Mandatory
Candidates participating in the CSAB Special Rounds must remember that all choices filled during JoSAA 2026 become null and void.
Therefore, every applicant must submit fresh choices during CSAB counselling.
Important instructions include:
- Fresh choices must be filled for CSAB counselling.
- Choices submitted during JoSAA will not be considered.
- Candidates should frequently save their preferences while filling choices.
- All eligible programmes under the NIT+ System will be displayed irrespective of current vacancy status.
- Candidates must lock their choices before the final deadline.
- If choices are not locked manually, the last saved choices will automatically be locked after the choice filling deadline.
CSAB 2026 Special Round 1 Important Dates
| CSAB 2026 Special Round | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Display of Vacancies after JoSAA Rounds | Jul 28, 2026 | |
| Registration and Payment of Special Round Enrolment Fee | Jul 28, 2026 | Aug 3, 2026 |
| Choice Filling | Jul 28, 2026 | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Round 1 Seat Allotment | Aug 6, 2026 | Aug 6, 2026 |
| Round 1 Exercising Willingness and Online Reporting | Aug 6, 2026 | Aug 10, 2026 |
| Round 1 Last Day to Respond to Queries of the Document Verifying Officer | Aug 11, 2026 | Aug 11, 2026 |
JEE Main 2026 Rank Requirement
Eligibility for CSAB counselling requires candidates to possess a valid JEE Main 2026 rank, depending on the programme applied for:
- Paper 1 Rank – For B.E./B.Tech programmes.
- Paper 2 Rank – For B.Arch programmes.
Candidates must satisfy all eligibility requirements prescribed for the respective courses.
CSAB Counselling Rounds and Participating Institutes
| Round | Example Institutes |
|---|---|
| NEUT | Various NITs/IIITs/GFTIs |
| Special | Various NITs/IIITs/GFTIs |
| Supernumerary | NIT Calicut, NIT Durgapur, SVNIT Surat |
Institutes Participating in the CSAB 2026 Supernumerary Round
- NIT Calicut
- NIT Durgapur
- SVNIT Surat
Institute Categories Covered Under CSAB 2026
The CSAB counselling process covers admissions to institutions belonging to the NIT+ System, including:
- NITs – National Institutes of Technology
- IIITs – Indian Institutes of Information Technology
- GFTIs – Government Funded Technical Institutes
How to Download the CSAB 2026 Cut-Off
Candidates can check the opening and closing ranks by following these steps:
Step 1: Visit the official CSAB website.
Step 2: Click on the "Opening and Closing Ranks" link.
Step 3:Select the counselling round, institute and desired branch.
Step 4:Submit the details to view the opening and closing ranks.
Key Highlights
- CSAB 2026 Special Round Registration begins on July 28.
- Fresh registration is compulsory even for JoSAA participants.
- Choice filling continues until August 5, 2026.
- Registration fee payment closes on August 3, 2026.
- Round 1 seat allotment will be announced on August 6, 2026.
- Fresh choice filling is mandatory as JoSAA choices become invalid.
- Admissions will be offered to vacant seats in NITs, IIITs and GFTIs through the NIT+ System.
- Candidates must possess a valid JEE Main 2026 rank to participate.