CSAB 2026: Dates, Eligibility, Registration, Choice Filling, Cutoffs

CSAB is Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB). It conducts national-level counselling based on JEE Main scores for admission to vacant seats left after JoSAA counselling last round, called the CSAB special counselling. Other than the CSAB special counselling, there are two more counselling categories under CSAB. The details of all three types of CSAB counselling can be checked below:

CSAB Special Round: The Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) holds the special CSAB counselling to allocate the unfilled seats of the NIT+ System after the last JoSAA round. Candidates desirous of participating in the CSAB special rounds are required to do a fresh registration.

CSAB NEUT Round: The CSAB NEUT round is a specialised allocation process reserved exclusively for candidates from North-Eastern states and Union Territories. This round manages seats under a specific Government of India scheme designed to support regions that lack adequate AICTE-approved degree-level technical facilities. It provides access to Engineering, Technology, Architecture, and Pharmacy programs at approved institutions and universities across the NE and UT regions.

CSAB Supernumerary Round: This counselling round is for admission to supernumerary seats in NIT Calicut, NIT Durgapur, and SVNIT Surat. The candidates belonging to the Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli are eligible for the CSAB 2026 Supernumerary round.

Check CSAB 2026 counselling highlights in the table below:

The CSAB 2026 eligibility for the special round, NEUT, and supernumerary round varies. A detailed explanation of eligibility for all three rounds has been given below:

CSAB Special Counselling Eligibility 2026

The following types of candidates can participate in CSAB counselling:

Type 1: candidates who have not registered for JoSAA counselling and meet all the required eligibility criteria.

Type 2: Candidates who participated in JoSAA counselling but were not allotted any seat.

Type 3: The candidates who participated in JoSAA, even got a seat, but their seat got cancelled due to non-payment of the seat acceptance fee (SAF).

Type 4: The candidates who have exited the JoSAA counselling can also participate in CSAB.

Type 5: Candidates who participated in JoSAA 2026 and were allotted seats in IITs, but:

• • Their seats were cancelled after document verification, or
  • They withdrew from their allotted seats, or
  • They accepted admission

Type 6: Candidates who participated in JoSAA, paid SAF 7 PAF and got admission in NIT+ system, can also participate in CSAB.

Type 7: Candidates who were allotted seat in JoSAA but later withdrew their seats are also eligible for CSAB.

Type 8: Candidates who participated in JoSAA and were allotted seats but were disqualified due to unsuccessful document verification.

Type 9: Candidates who got a seat in the NIT+ system and paid the SAF but their admission was cancelled due to non-payment of PAF, can also participate in CSAB.

CSAB NEUT Counselling Eligibility 2026

The CSAB eligibility for NEUT counselling is as follows:

JEE Main rank: Candidates must get a rank in JEE (Main) 2026 Paper-1 for BE/BTech programs or must secure a rank in JEE (Main) 2026 Paper-2 for BArch programs, as applicable.

Year of passing class 12: Candidates should have passed the Class XII (or equivalent) Board examination in the years 2024 or 2025 or 2026.

Academic criteria: The candidate should have secured at least 45% marks in the 12th class examination, conducted by the respective Boards. For Architecture, the candidate should have passed the 10+2 examination with at least 50% aggregate marks in these subjects: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and at least 50% marks in aggregate of the 10+2 level examination or passed the 10+3 Diploma Examination with Mathematics as a compulsory subject with at least 50% marks in aggregate. For SC/ST/PwD candidates, a relaxation of 5% of marks obtained in the qualifying examination for admission shall be considered.

Date of birth: As prescribed in the Information Bulletin and JEE Main 2026.

State of domicile: Students belonging to 08 North East States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) and 05 Union Territories (Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Ladakh) are eligible.

CSAB Supernumerary Counselling Eligibility 2026

The following types of candidates are eligible for the CSAB supernumerary counselling:

• All candidates, who were eligible for JoSAA-2026 / CSAB-2026 Special Rounds as per JEE (Main) 2026 ranks and having their State Code of Eligibility as the UTs of Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

AND

• Candidates who do not have a valid allocated seat in the NIT+ system, at the end of all rounds of JoSAA/CSAB-2026.

To register for CSAB 2026, candidates must start by confirming their eligibility for the Special, NEUT, or Supernumerary rounds, as each category operates under its own distinct timeline and requirements.

The CSAB counselling is managed entirely online through the official portal. Candidates initiate the process by logging in with their JEE Main 2026 application number and password. While the specific steps of the counselling depend on the chosen counselling type. The general registration steps are as follows:

• Step 1: Log in using JEE Main credentials.
• Step 2: Complete the OTP verification.
• Step 3: Review all provided information and submit.
• Step 4: Complete document verification and pay any required fees.

Note on Fees: There is no initial registration fee for the CSAB rounds. However, candidates are required to pay applicable fees following seat allotment according to the official schedule.

Once registration is finalised, applicants must submit and lock their preferred choices of engineering branches and colleges in order of priority.

The fees to be paid at various stages of the CSAB counselling process is given below:

CSAB Special Counselling Fees

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:

CSAB NEUT Counselling Fees

Candidates have to pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) of INR 5,000 to confirm their allotted seats. This fee is to be paid as per the deadline and after each seat allotment round.

CSAB Supernumerary Counselling Fees

Candidates have to pay the Supernumerary Seat Acceptance Fee (SSAF) which includes a non-refundable CSAB processing charge of INR 5,000. This fee is to be paid as per the deadline and after each seat allotment round. The SSAF is given below:

• The SSAF amount is INR 45,000 for GEN/GEN-EWS/OBC-NCL candidates and INR 25,000 for SC/ST/PwD candidates who got the allotment the first time.
• The candidates who paid any fee during JoSAA 2026 and/or CSAB 2026 Special Rounds shall be adjusted towards CSAB-2026 SSAF and the balance amount should be paid. 

Check the various stages involved in the NEUT counselling process below.

CSAB NEUT Counselling Process

CSAB NEUT 2026 Seat Allotment

CSAB NEUT counselling seat allotment will be done in two rounds:

First Round of Seat Allotment and Online Reporting: In round 1, candidates have to register and fill in their choices. Based on the JEE Main 2026 CRL for Engineering/Architecture or class XII marks for Pharmacy, candidates shall be allotted seats. The seat allotment result can be checked in the online CSAB 2026 portal.

After the CSAB NEUT seat allotment, candidates have to

Pay the seat allotment/acceptance fee of INR 5,000 online using an online mode of payment like Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, UPI, or State Bank of India e-challan.

Thereafter, candidates have to select any one of the below given options for the seat allotted to them:

1. Option 1 (Float): Choose this if you want to be considered for a higher preference of choices in other institutes in the next round.
2. Option 2 (Slide): Choose this if you want to be considered for higher preference of course choices in the same institute in the next round.
3. Option 3 (Freeze): Select this option if you are happy with the allotment and do not wish for any other allotment.

A candidate who selects the 'freeze' option will have their allotment sent to the respective DTEs of States/UTs/NERIST. The DTEs will then verify their eligibility, including domicile status, PwD status (if applicable), and PRC (if needed). Once that is done, the Provisional Admission Letter (PAL) shall be issued to the candidates, that they can download from their CSAB candidate login portal.

After PAL is downloaded, candidates have to take a printout of the PAL and report to the allotted institute as per the schedule.

The rest of the candidates who have selected 'float or 'slide' have to wait for round 2.

Second Round of Seat Allotment and Online Reporting: In the round of CSAB NEUT counselling, the candidates who have selected 'float or 'slide' can participate. Round 2 is conducted for filling the vacant seats available after the first round of allotment.

In round 2, candidates might be allotted an upgraded seat, or they will be allotted the same seat that they got in round 1. Candidates have to either accept the seat or withdraw from the counselling.

Once the candidates who have accepted the seat, their allotment is sent to the respective DTEs of States/UTs/NERIST. The DTEs will then verify their eligibility, including domicile status, PwD status and PRC (if applicable). Once that is done, the Provisional Admission Letter (PAL) shall be issued to the candidates, that they can download from their CSAB candidate login portal.

CSAB NEUT 2026 Seat Withdrawal

Candidates who have been allotted a seat in either the first or second round can withdraw it within the specified timeframe through the CSAB Portal. They will receive a refund of INR 3,000 out of the INR 5,000 seat acceptance fee after the counselling process concludes. By withdrawing, they forfeit their claim on the allotted seat but may participate in any spot round conducted by the respective DTE/NERIST.

CSAB NEUT Counselling 2026 Physical Reporting for Admission

Candidates who have downloaded the Provisional Admission Letter (PAL) should directly report to the allotted Institute for admission along with all the necessary documents in original, as per the CSAB NEUT- 2026 schedule. Candidates are required to carry the following original documents to get their credentials verified at the time of admission to the allotted Institute:

1. Printout of Provisional Admission Letter (PAL)
2. Undertaking by the candidate (if applicable)
3. Photo ID proof
4. JEE Main 2026 admit card
5.  JEE Main 2026 scorecard
6. Class X (High School) Board Certificate as proof of date of birth.
7. Certificate and Marks sheet of the qualifying examination
8. Proof of fee paid
9. Certificate of Category/sub-category/caste/sub-caste/PRC as applicable, issued by the competent authority
10. Certificate for Persons with Disabilities (PwD), if applicable
11. Proof of place of examination centre in case of final qualifying examination is from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), formerly known as National Open School (NOS).
12. One passport-size photograph identical to the one pasted on the JEE Main 2026 application form.
13. Permanent Resident Certificate/Domicile (as applicable)
14. Medical Certificate
15. Any other documents as desired by the admitting Institute

CSAB NEUT 2026 Counselling Spot Rounds

The allotment in the spot round will be done by respective institutes as per their approved rules. The spot round is an offline process, and no online registration is required by the candidates. They must report to the DTE/RC as per the schedule to be notified by respective institutes along with all necessary documents (original and self-attested photocopy) 

CSAB NEUT 2026 Registration and Uploading of Documents

All eligible candidates should register on the CSAB portal (https://csab.nic.in) as per the schedule. For admission to Engineering/Architecture programs, eligible candidates should login using the roll number of JEE Main 2026 and the Password created during JEE Main registration. For admission to the Pharmacy course, eligible candidates will be required to create the login/password through the separate link available on the CSAB portal.

Documents to be uploaded by the candidates:

1. Any photo ID proof
2. JEE Main 2026 Admit Card (Not applicable for Pharmacy)
3. Class X (High School) Board Certificate as proof of date of birth
4. Certificate and Marks sheet of the qualifying examination.
5. Certificate of Category/sub-category/caste/sub-caste as applicable, issued by the competent authority
6. Certificate for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and/or Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID), if applicable.
7. Proof of place of examination centre in case of the final qualifying examination is from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) formerly known as National Open School (NOS).
8. Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC)/Domicile, if applicable
9. Medical Certificate
10. Declaration/ Undertaking from the Candidate
11. Undertaking by the Parents/Guardian (Annexure-V) xii. Special Benefit claim certificate (if applicable)
12. Any other documents as desired by the respective DTEs of States/UTs/NERIST

CSAB NEUT 2026 Verification of Documents

Verifying officials at the DTEs of North Eastern States/UTs/NERIST will:

• Confirm candidature online and notify candidates via SMS/Email if documents are correct.
• Mark candidature as "Ineligible" and inform candidates if documents are incorrect.
• Raise queries if discrepancies are found, sending details to candidates via SMS/Email and updating the CSAB NEUT 2026 portal.
• Require candidates to respond to queries using their login credentials within the specified time. Failure to respond will result in being marked "Ineligible," with no further consideration for CSAB NEUT 2026 counselling.
• Confirm candidature and notify candidates via SMS/Email if queries are satisfactorily resolved.
• Allow eligible candidates to fill in their preference choices online via the CSAB Portal.
• Cancel the allotted seat and disqualify candidates from further consideration if any submitted information is found to be incorrect, false, or fraudulent, with potential legal consequences.

CSAB NEUT 2026 Choice Filling

After successful document verification, all registered candidates must fill in their choices of branches and institutes in order of preference. Candidates are encouraged to list as many choices as possible, placing their most preferred program and institute at the top of the list and their least preferred options at the bottom.

Saving and locking the choices: After filling in their choices, candidates must SAVE their selections. Note that 'SAVING' is different from 'LOCKING.' Candidates should take care that the saved choices can be changed later on, however, if the choices are once locked, they cannot be modified.

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The counselling process involves the following stages:

CSAB Special Counselling Process

CSAB 2026 Special Counselling Online Registration

All eligible candidates have to register for CSAB. The earlier registrations done in JoSAA counselling are not valid for the CSAB special counselling.

CSAB 2026 Special Counselling Payment of SREF (IAF-I + SRPF) 

After registration, all the candidates must pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee using Net Banking / Debit card / Credit card or State Bank of India e-challan. The details of fees have been given on this page.

CSAB Special Counselling Choice Filling and Locking 2026

The candidates must fill in fresh choices during the CSAB special round choice-filling process. The previously filled Choices during JoSAA 2026 rounds (if any) stand NULL AND VOID and hence will NOT be considered for allotment in CSAB Special Rounds. Candidates are advised to fill out their FRESH CHOICES and save them frequently during the process.

 All the programs of the NIT+ system for which they are eligible will be displayed to them, irrespective of vacancy status. The vacant seat matrix displayed to the candidates is tentative. Some additional vacant seats may be available at a later stage of counselling. Therefore, candidates are advised to fill in their choices of seats irrespective of the vacancy status. Candidates MUST “lock” their choices on or before the last day of choice filling. If the candidates do NOT lock their choices, their last saved choices will be locked automatically upon reaching the deadline for choice filling.

CSAB Special Round 1

The special round 1 will include the following

• Seat Allotment
• Choose Willingness Option - Freeze/Slode/Float/Surrender/Withdraw
• Document Uploading
• Payment of Institute Admission Fee (IAF)-II
• Online Reporting and Document Verification

CSAB Special Round 2

The special round 2 will have the following stages:

• Seat Allotment
• Document Uploading
• Payment of Institute Admission Fee (IAF)-II
• Online Reporting and Document Verification
• Physical Reporting at the Allotted Institute

CSAB Counselling 2026 Special Round Fee Details

Check below the details of various fee that has to be paid during the CSAB special round counselling 2026: