JoSAA Choice Filling 2026: Dates, Steps to Fill JoSAA Counselling Choices
Joint Seat Allocation Authority 2026 ( JoSAA )
JoSAA 2026 Registration & Choice Filling Starts
2 Jun '26
JoSAA Choice Filling 2026: The Joint Seat Allocation Authority will open the choice filling facility for the registered candidates. The choice filling process of JoSAA and registrations open simultaneously on June 2 at josaa.nic.in. Once the candidates complete the registration, they can then proceed with the choice filling.
In the JoSAA choice filling process, candidates are allowed to enter and arrange their choices of institutes and colleges they wish to be admitted to. Candidates are advised to fill in as many choices as possible in order of their preference to increase their chances of seat allotment in JoSAA. JoSAA seat allotment is based on choices filled by the candidates, their category, and their JEE Main / JEE Advanced ranks, whichever is applicable. Note that there is no fee for JoSAA registration and JoSAA choice filling 2026. The choices must be filled strategically, taking into consideration the JEE Main / Advanced rank, category, state quota, and gender.
- JoSAA Choice Filling 2026 Link
- JoSAA Counselling 2026 Dates and Schedule
- What is JoSAA Choice Filling?
- How to Do JoSAA Choice Filling 2026?
- JoSAA 2026 Counselling Choice Filling - Manage & Lock Filled Choices
- After JoSAA 2026 Choice Filling
- JoSAA Counselling Choice Filling FAQs
JoSAA Choice Filling 2026 Link
Candidates must be very careful while filling out the choices. The choices once locked cannot be changed throughout the JoSAA counselling rounds. The link to fill choices in JoSAA counselling 2026 will be available below:
- JoSAA 2026 counselling choice filling link - will be available here
Also Read: IITs and Branches for Low JEE Advanced Marks/Ranks
Commonly asked questions
The JoSAA 2026 choice filling window will open with the registration window in June 2026. Candidates will be able to register and then fill the choices of courses and colleges based on their JEE Main/Advanced ranks and category.
The last date to fill and lock the choices in JoSAA counselling 2026 will be announced at josaa.nic.in.
The JoSAA choice filling link is activated at josaa.nic.in. The candidates can fill their choices after they register for JoSAA counselling. The JoSAA candidate portal can be acceseed using the JEE Main application number and JoSAA password to fill in the choices.
JoSAA Counselling 2026 Dates and Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of JoSAA 2026 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| Jun ' 26 | JoSAA 2026 Display of Mock Seat Allocation-1 TENTATIVE |
| Jun ' 26 | JoSAA 2026 Display of Mock Seat Allocation-2 TENTATIVE |
| Jun ' 26 | JoSAA 2026 Seat Allocation (Round 1) TENTATIVE |
| Jun ' 26 | JoSAA 2026 Online reporting: fee payment/document upload (Round 1) TENTATIVE |
| Jun ' 26 | JoSAA Counselling Last Date to respond to query (Round 1) TENTATIVE |
| 25 Jun ' 26 | JoSAA 2026 Counselling Seat Allocation (Round 2) |
| Jun ' 26 | JoSAA 2026 Online reporting: fee payment / document upload (Round 2) TENTATIVE |
What is JoSAA Choice Filling?
JoSAA choice filling means filling of preferences for courses and colleges (preferences for IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs) that the candidate wants to be considered for admission. To select the courses and colleges, candidates have to make sure that they use the previous year's cutoff trends and get an estimate of which course and college have the highest chances of getting into, as per their JEE Main/JEE Advanced rank.
Candidates are displayed a wide range of courses and college options within the JoSAA portal. They have to select the course and college combination and arrange them in order of preference. While allocating the seat, the first preference will be considered, and if the rank of the candidate allows, then the first preference will be allotted, or else the second preference will be considered. In this way, the seat allocation is done. Therefore, it is critical to fill in the choices wisely, as choice filling opens only once with the registration process.
Although there is no restriction on how many choices the candidates can fill, it is highly recommended that the candidaes only fill those choices that they want to be considered for admission and not random choices.
Also Read: How to Fill Choices in JoSAA Counselling 2026: Important Tips and Major Mistakes to Avoid
Commonly asked questions
After candidates have made and finalised their selections, the next step is the seat allotment process. JoSAA will release the seat allotment results on the individual JoSAA login portals of the candidates. To check the seat allotment, candidates have to use their JEE Main application number and password.
During JoSAA choice filling, include safety, match, and dream colleges. Ranking choices by preference and ensuring realistic options helps secure a seat. Do keep in mind your rank. Check the last ranks trends for at least past five years.
No. JoSAA choice filling window opens only once with the registration process.
How to Do JoSAA Choice Filling 2026?
Check JoSAA choice filling process below:
Login to JoSAA Portal - Using JEE Main 2026 application number and password, candidates have to login to the JoSAA 2026 portal.
Access JoSAA Choice Filling Link: Once logged in, candidates can check the link for choice filling. Click the link and verify using the OTP sent to the registered mobile number.
Adding and Arranging the Choices: Once the OTP is verified, candidates can check the following details on their screen:
- Total number of choices available for the candidate
- List of choices available
- Search bar to search and filter the institutes and courses
From the available list of choices, candidates can use the “add” button to add the choices to their choice list. When the candidate clicks on the “add” button against the choice, it gets added to the list of choices candidates have to submit and can be checked on the right-hand side of the screen.
Candidates can add the choices in order of their preference, or they can add the choices in random order and arrange the choices after adding them to their list. The candidates can check the Institute name, course name and the choice number (order number of the choice) in the list. Other than that, against each choice, candidates can check the option for “remove”, “up” and “down”.
- ❌ Remove: This command will remove a choice from the list.
- ⬆️ Up: This command will move a choice one step above.
- ⬇️ Down: This command will move a choice one step down.
Using the above commands, candidates can rearrange their choices as many times as they want before the JoSAA choice locking deadline.
Saving the Choices - Candidates must keep saving the choices. If they don't have the choice, any changes made to the list of choices will disappear.
Locking the Choice - Once the candidates are one hundred per cent sure of the choices they have filled and their order, they can proceed to lock their choices as per the JoSAA schedule.
Printing the Choice List - Candidates can print the list of their JoSAA choice filling list for future reference.
Also Read: JoSAA Mock Seat Allotment 2026 - How to Check and What to Do Next
Commonly asked questions
Yes, you can download the locked choice list form the JoSAA portal under your login.
No. 'Saving' a choice is NOT the same as 'Locking' a choice. A choice that is only saved but not locked, can be retrieved later on and modified. The modified choice has to be saved again. The old choice exercised earlier is lost. But a choice that is locked cannot be modified and saved afresh in JoSAA counselling process.
There is no fee for JoSAA registration. Candidates have to login to the JoSAA portal with their JEE Main application number and password to start their JoSAA counselling process.
JoSAA 2026 Counselling Choice Filling - Manage & Lock Filled Choices
Once the candidates have filled the choices, they are allowed to manage them. This means candidates will be allowed to remove and rearrange their choices as many times as they want before the JoSAA choice locking date.
Candidates can rearrange their choices by changing the choice number against the choices. The choices can also be interchanged from one option to the other easily, or candidates can select multiple choices at once for bulk deletion.
The choices can be managed until the choice filling last date as per the JoSAA schedule. Once the choices are locked and submitted as per the schedule, the choices cannot be changed throughout the counselling process. Seat allotment in each JoSAA counselling round will be based on the choices filled by the candidates.
| What if I don't lock the choices? If a candidate does not lock their choices in JoSAA counselling, then their last saved choices will be auto-locked and will be used for seat allotment in all the rounds. |
Commonly asked questions
Yes. After locking, candidate may take printout of the locked choices. The print out will help the candidates refere to the choices they have filled in every round of the JoSAA counselling which becomes very convenient and helpful.
Here are some tips for JoSAA choice filling:
- Check the opening and closing ranks of your desired course-institute combo.
- Take advantage of the JoSAA mock seat allotment rounds.
- Start with the best possible options, but include safe & backup choices
- Learn how category or gender neutral seats affect your chances
- Seek guidance, if needed
- Lock only after being sure
No. Once the choice filling window is closed or you have locked the choices, the reshuffling of the choices will not be allowed.
After JoSAA 2026 Choice Filling
After the JoSAA choice filling, the JoSAA seat allotment result is issued. Based on the choices filled by the candidates, their ranks and their category, seats across the institutions are allotted in each counselling round.
To check the JoSAA 2026 seat allotment result, candidates have to use their JEE Main 2026 application number and JoSAA 2026 password. Once the seat is allotted, candidates have to accept the seat, and they can choose one of the options: 'Freeze', 'Slide', or 'Float'. Seat allotment results have to be checked online only, and no separate notification about the seat allotment is sent to the candidates via mail or other means.
Read More:
Commonly asked questions
Candidates can check JoSAA opening and closing ranks on the official website. They have to enter the details asked to check the list of courses and colleges based on the OR and CR of each counselling round.
Internal sliding in JoSAA means candidates will be considered for better course preference from their choice list, but in the same institution as allotted.
The candidate who select "Float" would be considered for a better course from their choice list in any college. These candidates will be considered in the upcoming JoSAA rounds.
JoSAA Counselling Choice Filling FAQs
Check the important FAQs below in the JoSAA counselling choice filling process:
Commonly asked questions
- Login to JoSAA Portal
- Access JoSAA Choice Filling Link
- Adding and Arranging the Choices
- Saving the Choices
- Locking the Choice
- Printing the Choice List
The JoSAA mock seat allotment is an indicative allotment that provides candidates with an overview of their potential allotment before final seat allotment.
After candidates have made and finalised their selections, the next step is the seat allotment process. JoSAA will release the seat allotment results on the individual JoSAA login portals of the candidates. To check the seat allotment, candidates have to use their JEE Main application number and password.
JoSAA seat allotment letter is issued once the candidates have paid the seat accpetnace fee and the documents are verified in JoSAA counselling process.
B.Tech exams whose registrations are closing soon
Register now and prepare to increase your chances at top colleges which accept these exams
20 May '26
JoSAA Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
The most important thing to understand is that JoSAA counselling does not apply to private engineering colleges at all — it strictly manages admissions for premier government-funded institutions only. So if you are targeting private engineering colleges in Chennai like SRM, VIT, or Saveetha, you wil
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
No, students do not have to apply separately at IIT Roorkee website after JoSAA counselling. This is because the institute follows a common admission process for its BTech course just like the other IITs. Shortlisted students who get a seat through the JoSAA counselling, simply need to report for do
U
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
The most critical distinction is that JoSAA counselling does not apply to private engineering colleges in Bangalore. JoSAA strictly manages admissions for premier government-funded institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIITs.
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
JoSAA is mostly for government colleges, while East West College of Engineering uses state or direct admission. Direct admission for BE course is often faster and involves dealing with the college directly. It is a good choice if you already know you want to study at this specific college. You don't
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
No, JoSAA counselling is not required for the students who want to take admission on the basis of entrance in BTech at Army Institute of Technology, Pune. Only entrance scores are considered at the time of admission. Students need to submit JEE Mains scorecard at the time of admission.
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, students may get a seat in NIT Puducherry BTech with 92 percentile in JEE Main through JoSAA counselling. The cutoff is high for specialisations, such as CSE. With NITPY being one of the top institutes and part of the NIT Tag, the cutoff is always high. But 92 percentile can be enough for later
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Think of JoSAA as a matching service. After your JEE Advanced results, you'll log into the JoSAA portal and rank your preferred branches at IIT Dharwad. The system then looks at your All India Rank (AIR) and your choices to offer you the best possible seat. Once a seat is offered, you'll pay the fee
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 2 months ago
JoSAA is the counselling process needed to get admission in the BTech course at IIIT Vadodara. The candidate needs to appear for JEE Mains. If the student meets the cut off requirement, then the student must participate in counselling.
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Yes, JoSAA counselling is important for the students who want to take admission in BTech at IIIT Vadodara. Students must appear for JEE Mains. If students meet the cut off requirement of the entrance, the students need to participate in JoSAA counselling for seat allotment.
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
No, JoSAA counselling is not required for the students who want to take admission on the basis of entrance in BTech at B.A. College of Engineering and Technology. Only entrance scores are considered at the time of admission. If any student has not cleared JEE Mains, the student can apply for direct
G
Contributor-Level 10
Explore more B.Tech exams with upcoming dates
BITSAT 2026 Admit Card Session 2 Release Date 20 May '26 LPU NEST 2026 Phase 3 Admission Last Date 20 May '26 AISECT Joint Entrance Exam 2026 Online Registrations - Cycle 1 May '26
What is the difference between JOSAA counselling and direct private admission in Chennai Engineering colleges?