JoSAA 2025 Round 4: IIT CSE Cut-Offs Skyrocket, Competition Stiffens Across Categories

IIT Bombay closed at AIR 66 for Computer Science, with sharp rises in cut-offs at Delhi, Madras, Kanpur and Kharagpur; OBC, EWS and SC ranks surge too.

The Round 4 results of JoSAA 2025 confirm that BTech in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) continues to be the most in-demand programme across all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Compared to JoSAA 2024, this year has witnessed a sharp rise in opening and closing ranks—not just for the General category but also for EWS, OBC-NCL and SC candidates.

The rising trend reflects increased participation by top-performing students and sustained demand for tech-focused careers. With AI, product roles, data science, and startup tech on the rise, CSE seats—especially in IITs like Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, and Madras—remain the hottest picks.

Top 10 IITs: General Category Cut-Off Comparison (2025 vs 2024)

Here’s how the top 10 IITs performed in Round 4 of JoSAA 2025 in terms of closing ranks for BTech CSE under the General category, compared to the previous year:

Category-Wise 2025 Cut-Offs for CSE at Top IITs

Key Takeaways for Students & Parents

The 2025 cut-off data clearly affirms that IIT Bombay, Delhi, and Madras continue to dominate the preferences of top-ranking students aspiring for CSE. The closing ranks for these three institutes remain under AIR 180, reflecting their consistent reputation, top-tier placements, and deep research exposure in the field of computer science.

One of the most notable observations is the significant rise in cut-offs across all major categories—General, EWS, OBC-NCL, and SC. This indicates not only heightened competition but also a broader surge in interest toward tech-driven career paths among students from all backgrounds.

For aspirants aiming for newer IITs or for those planning fallback strategies in case their preferred options are oversubscribed, Round 5 and the CSAB special rounds will be critical. These rounds often witness marginal drops in cut-offs and can help students secure a seat without compromising much on institutional quality.

Finally, experts advise aspirants and parents to diversify their institute choices. With the older IITs witnessing record-high cut-offs, newer but high-performing institutes like IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Ropar, and reputed NITs and IIITs like NIT Trichy and IIIT Hyderabad should also be strongly considered for quality CSE education.