CSAB 2026 Special Round Fees & Refund Rules: Complete Breakdown of Payments and Deductions

Central Seat Allocation Board 2026 ( CSAB )

Mamona
Mamona Majumder
Deputy Manager
Updated on Aug 5, 2026 11:55 IST
Candidates who do not adhere to the strict fee refund rules and deadlines in CSAB special counselling may lose their fees unnecessarily. We have thus described the fee structure, when to pay the enrollment fee, and what the Institute Admission Fee-I & Institute Admission Fee-II are.

Candidates participating in CSAB counselling should know the fee refund policy. On this page, candidates can check the Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) Special Rounds 2026 fee structures, bank account rules, fee deduction policies, and strict refund process.

CSAB Special Round Fees & Refund Rules

CSAB Special Round Fees & Refund Rules: Complete Breakdown of Payments and Deductions

CSAB Special Round Fees & Refund Rules 2026: Candidates who do not adhere to the strict fee refund rules and deadlines in CSAB special counselling may lose their fees unnecessarily. We have thus described the fee structure, when to pay the enrollment fee, and what the Institute Admission Fee-I & Institute Admission Fee-II are. We have also discussed when to exit/withdraw the counselling to get a full refund without any losses. Keep reading to get all details explained simply for better understanding.

 
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Table of contents
  • What is CSAB Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF)
  • CSAB 2026 Special Round Fee Payment After Seat Allotment
  • CSAB 2026 Fee Refund Rule for IIT Seat Holders in JoSAA
  • CSAB Fee Refund Rule for NIT/IIIT/GFTI Seat Holders in JoSAA
  • CSAB 2026 Fee & Deduction
  • Cases Where NO REFUND is Admissible in CSAB Counselling 2026
  • CSAB Special Counselling Fees & Adjustments
  • Important Instructions for Candidates Regarding CSAB Fees 2026
View More

What is CSAB Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF)

To register for CSAB Special Rounds 2026, candidates must register on the official portal and pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF) based on their category:

  • GEN / GEN-EWS / OBC-NCL Candidates: INR 40,000/-

  • SC / ST / PwD Candidates: INR 19,000/-

The SREF comprises two distinct functional components: The Institute Admission Fee-I (IAF-I) and a mandatory Special Round Processing Fee (SRPF) of INR 5,000/-.

Bank Details & Document Upload

  • The Special Round Processing Fee (SRPF) of INR 5,000/- is strictly NON-REFUNDABLE AND NON-ADJUSTABLE towards the admission fee of the allotted institute.
  • At the time of SREF payment, candidates must enter their bank account details (Name of Account Holder, Account Number, IFSC, and Bank Name) and upload a scanned copy of a cancelled cheque or the stamped front page of the passbook of the same account to receive any eligible refunds from CSAB 2026.

Also Read: CSAB 2026 Special Round Cutoff Trends: How Much Do Cutoffs Drop Compared to JoSAA Last Round?

CSAB 2026 Special Round Fee Payment After Seat Allotment

Candidates who get a seat in CSAB Special Round 1 have to pay IAF-II. Check below the applicable fee to be paid after seat allotment:

Category IAF-II
GEN/GEN- EWS/OBC-NCL INR 35,000
SC/ST/PwD INR 16,000
  • Mode of payment: Debit card / UPI / Credit card / Net Banking / E-Challan / CSC
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📂 CSAB 2026 Cutoff Library
Compare the latest opening & closing ranks, category-wise cutoffs, and previous year trends before finalising your CSAB Special Round choices.

CSAB 2026 Fee Refund Rule for IIT Seat Holders in JoSAA

Candidates who deposited fees for an allotted seat at any of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) during the JoSAA rounds and subsequently receive an allotment in the CSAB Special Rounds 2026 face strict non-adjustment rules.

Fees deposited during JoSAA rounds for an IIT seat will NOT be adjusted into the fee of the newly allotted institute in CSAB Special Rounds 2026. Because CSAB governs only the NIT+ System, candidates must separately follow the specific refund rules and application procedures of the respective IITs to claim reimbursement.

Also Check: CSAB Eligibility Criteria 2026: Who Should Appear for Special Round and Its Benefits

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How can I check the CSAB opening and closing ranks?
A: 

Candidates can check CSAB opening and closing ranks on the official website, csab.nic.in. 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.

Q:   Are CSAB cutoffs generally lower or higher than JoSAA cutoffs?
A: 

CSAB cutoffs are usually lower or higher in rank (i.e., less competitive) than JoSAA cutoffs.

Q:   Are Home State (HS) and Other State (OS) quotas considered in CSAB?
A: 

Yes. CSAB retains the Home State (50% quota) and Other State (50% quota) categorisations for NITs, just like in JoSAA.

Q:   What steps should a student follow for seat allotment during CSAB counselling?
A: 

Central Seat Allocation Board will release the CSAB counselling seat allotment result online at the official website. Candidates can follow the steps below to complete CSAB counselling registration. 

  • Visit the CSAB official website for online registration. 

  • Fill your choices of courses and colleges and lock them. 

  • Participate in the seat allotment round as per the schedule. 

  • Fee payment for seat acceptance and document verification process. 

  • Report to the allotted college. 

CSAB Fee Refund Rule for NIT/IIIT/GFTI Seat Holders in JoSAA

The candidates who got a seat in JoSAA at any NIT/IIIT/GFTI are eligible for a refund under the CSAB 2026 refund policy.

Fees paid during JoSAA 2026 (for the NIT+ System) and CSAB Special Rounds 2026 (excluding the non-refundable INR 5,000/- SRPF) will be refunded after applying specific deductions:

  • JoSAA Processing Fee (INR 5,000/-): Deducted if the candidate accepted a seat in JoSAA rounds by successfully paying the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) for the NIT+ System.

  • Withdrawal / Non-Payment Fee (INR 2,000/-): Deducted if the candidate paid the JoSAA SAF but later withdrew from the seat or failed to pay the Partial Admission Fee (PAF) after successful document verification.

  • CSAB Special Round Penalty (INR 2,000/-): Deducted if a candidate allotted a seat in CSAB Special Round-I/II or retaining a JoSAA NIT+ seat encounters any of the following:

    • Fails to complete online reporting during Special Round-I or Round-II.

    • Fails document verification during Special Round-I/II due to invalid documents or unfulfilled criteria.

    • Exercises the willingness option 'WITHDRAW'.

    • Exercises the willingness option 'SURRENDER' and is not allotted a seat in subsequent rounds.

Also Check: CSAB Seat Matrix 2026 (OUT): Check Vacant NIT/IIIT/GFTI Seats After JoSAA Counselling

CSAB 2026 Fee & Deduction

Check the simplified CSAB 2026 fee and refund policy below:

Fee / Action Component

Amount

Policy & Refund Terms

Special Round Processing Fee (SRPF)

INR 5,000/-

Strictly Non-Refundable & Non-Adjustable under all conditions.

JoSAA Seat Acceptance Processing Fee

INR 5,000/-

Deducted upon successful payment of SAF in JoSAA rounds (NIT+ System).

JoSAA Withdrawal / Non-PAF Deduction

INR 2,000/-

Deducted if the candidate withdrew or missed the Partial Admission Fee (PAF).

CSAB Non-Reporting / Surrender Penalty

INR 2,000/-

Deducted for non-reporting, document failure, or surrender.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Can JoSAA choices be used in CSAB?
A: 

No, you need to fill fresh choices for CSAB rounds. The choices filled in JoSAA will not be carried to the CSAB counselling.

Q:   If a candidate has not participated in JoSAA counselling, will he/she be eligible to take part in CSAB counselling?
A: 

Yes, candidates who do not participate in the JoSAA counselling are eligible to participate in the CSAB counselling. Candidates must complete the CSAB counselling registration using JEE Main application number. After the registration process, the exam authorities will commence the document verification process. 

Q:   Can I get college via CSAB if my rank is below 50,000?
A: 

With rank under 50,000, you can target CSE/ECE in newer IIITs (Kalyani, Dharwad), core branches in top NITs (Jalandhar, Bhopal), and tech branches in GFTIs (JNU, BIT Mesra).

Q:   What is the official website to check CSAB cutoff?
A: 

The official website to check CSAB cutoff is csab.nic.in.

Cases Where NO REFUND is Admissible in CSAB Counselling 2026

For candidates in the zero-refund categories, all fees you deposit will go directly to the final institute you are allotted. Authorities will deduct a processing charge of INR 5,000 for JoSAA 2026 and another INR 5,000 for CSAB Special Rounds 2026. Any refund requests after this will follow the refund rules set by the admitting institutes.

⚠️

Cases with Zero Refund from CSAB

NO REFUND shall be issued by CSAB Special Rounds 2026 for candidates who:

Do not complete mandatory online reporting in Special Round-II.

Are allotted seats in Special Round-II and fail to pay the Institute Admission Fee-II (IAF-II).

Have their seat cancelled due to ineligibility, invalid documents, or non-response to queries during Special Round-II Document Verification.

Fail to physically or virtually join the allotted institute after completion of CSAB Special Round-II.

CSAB Special Counselling Fees & Adjustments

Special Round Enrollment Fee (SREF) is to be paid by the candidates after completion of the CSAB registration. The fee can be paid using Net Banking / Debit card / Credit card, or State Bank of India e-challan. The SREF for each type of candidate given in the special counselling eligibility criteria is given below:

Candidate Type

SREF for GEN/GEN-EWS/OBC-NCL

SREF for SC/ST/PwD

Fee to be adjusted

SREF

Fee to be

adjusted

SREF

Type 1

NIL

INR 45,000

NIL

INR 25,000

Type 2

NIL

INR 45,000

NIL

INR 25,000

Type 3

NIL

INR 45,000

NIL

INR 25,000

Type 4

NIL

INR 45,000

NIL

INR 25,000

Type 5

NIL

INR 45,000

NIL

INR 25,000

Type 6

INR 75,000

INR 5,000

INR 32,000

INR 5,000

Type 7

INR 28,000

INR 17,000

INR 10,500

INR 14,000

Type 8

INR 30,000

INR 15,000

INR 12,500

INR 12,500

Type 9

INR 28,000

INR 17,000

INR 10,500

INR 14,000

CSAB 2026 Eligible Candidate Types

  • Type 1: Eligible candidates who never registered for JoSAA 2026.
  • Type 2: Candidates who participated in JoSAA 2026 but were never allotted a seat.
  • Type 3: Candidates whose JoSAA seat was cancelled because they failed to pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF).
  • Type 4: Candidates who officially exercised the EXIT option during JoSAA 2026.
  • Type 5: Candidates allotted an IIT seat who either withdrew, gained admission, or had their seat cancelled during document verification.
  • Type 6: Candidates who secured admission in the NIT+ System by paying both the SAF and Partial Admission Fee (PAF).
  • Type 7: Candidates who were allotted an NIT+ System seat and later officially withdrew.
  • Type 8: Candidates whose NIT+ System seat was cancelled due to document verification failure and received no subsequent seat.
  • Type 9: Candidates who verified documents and paid the SAF for an NIT+ System seat, but lost it by missing the PAF payment.

Important Instructions for Candidates Regarding CSAB Fees 2026

Candidates participating in CSAB counselling should take care of the following:

  • Bank Details Verification: Double-check bank account numbers and upload clear cheque or passbook images to prevent delayed/rejected refunds.

  • IIT Applicants: Submit separate refund applications directly to respective IITs if shifting from an IIT JoSAA seat to a CSAB seat.

  • Take Care of Deadlines: Complete Special Round-II online reporting and IAF-II payment on time to protect your seat and avoid forfeiting funds to the institute.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Do the JoSAA registered candidates need to fill CSAB application form separately?
A: 

Yes, applicants who wish to particpate in CSAB have to register online from the CSAB official website as both CSAB and JoSAA are separate counselling processes. The document verification of such candidates will not be conducted again, as the documents are verified during JoSAA.

Q:   Is there any reservation for candidates in CSAB counselling?
A: 

Yes, Central Seat Allocation Board provided reservation to reserved category candidates as pe the rules. Applicants applying for CSAB counselling with reservation must upload required documents at registration. It is necessary to upload certificate/required document to avail the reservation at the time of admission. Any candidate who fails to produce the reservation documents at the time of admission will be considered for general merit seats.  

Q:   In the special round in CSAB, will they take students according to CRL rank or category rank for NIT and IIIT?
A: 
In CSAB rounds, you will be given NIT/IIIT according to your category rank if applicable, or else, General.
Q:   When should I participate in CSAB round? Can I participate in CSAB without joining JoSAA counselling?
A: 
Yes, you can participate in CSAB counselling without participating in JoSAA counselling. Central Seat Allocation Board will be conducting CSAB to provide admissions into the participating institutes (IIITs, NITs, and GFTIs) on the basis of JEE Main scores.
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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the difference between save and lock in CSAB choice filling?
A: 

Save keeps your CSAB choice list editable. Lock finalises the choice list before the deadline.

Q:   I did not register for NEUT. Is it possible to get a seat at NIT through CSAB? I belong to ST category and live in North-East India.
A: 

Even if you did not register for the CSAB NEUT (North Eastern States and Union Territories) counseling and belong to the ST category, and you are from North-East India, you can get a seat in an NIT during the subsequent rounds. CSAB NEUT rounds for students applying from North-East states and UTs to decide their seat allotment in NITs alongside other participating institutes, according to JEE Main scores. You have secured 6373 rank in ST category, therefore you can apply for few NIT’s but the actual number of seats possible depends on the seat matrix. To participate, one has to register for the CSAB NEUT rounds, give the choices, and then wait for the seat allocation. Nevertheless, treat it as a proceed alert that the registration and choice-filling deadlines have probably already elapsed and therefore will require you to find out on its acceptance of late registration.

Q:   What is the next step after CSAB registration?
A: 

After CSAB counselling registration, the exam authority will start the choice filling process at the official website. Successfully registered candidates must complete CSAB counselling choice filling and locking with preferred course and college choices. Candidates first have to login using JEE Main application number and password to complete CSAB choice filling and locking process.  

Q:   Can I rearrange choices in CSAB counselling?
A: 

Yes, you can move up, move down, swap, or rearrange choices before locking in CSAB counselling choice filling.

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Mamona Majumder
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Currently - Deputy Manager, Content

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Expertise - Engineering Education and Counselling

Mamona Majumder specialises in news and feature writing and content editing. With

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With your OBC-NCL rank of 38,613 and CRL rank of 1,16,715 with Odisha Home State quota, you can target lower or core/dual-degree and Science branches in mid-to-lower tier NITs, newer IIITs, and system-aligned GFTIs during the CSAB Special Round.

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