CSAB Counselling 2026: Registration, Vacant NIT+ Seats, Round 2 & Direct Link
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CSAB Counselling 2026 registration runs from July 28 to August 3, 2026, giving JEE Main 2026 candidates one more shot at a seat in the NIT+ system after JoSAA closes. The Central Seat Allocation Board conducts this special round to fill seats left vacant across NITs, IIITs, IIEST Shibpur, the Schools of Planning and Architecture, and Government Funded Technical Institutes.
If you did not get a seat in JoSAA, withdrew midway, or simply want to try for a better branch or institute, CSAB Special Counselling 2026 is the route to take. This article walks through the registration process, the direct portal link, the current vacant seat matrix, fees, documents, and exactly what changes between Round 1 and Round 2 of the special counselling.
What Is CSAB Counselling 2026?
CSAB stands for Central Seat Allocation Board. It is a national-level counselling body that steps in once all five rounds of JoSAA are over, to allot the seats that remain unfilled in the NIT+ system. The NIT+ system covers 31 NITs, 26 IIITs, IIEST Shibpur, the SPAs, and a large group of GFTIs, spread across 114 participating institutes this year, including nine GFTIs added fresh for 2026.
It is worth being clear about one thing early: CSAB does not touch IIT seats. Those are settled entirely through JoSAA. CSAB works only with the leftover seats in NITs, IIITs and other centrally or state-funded technical institutes once JoSAA candidates have reported, withdrawn, or failed to confirm their allotted seats.
CSAB 2026 runs three separate channels. The Special Round is the one most students refer to when they say 'CSAB counselling', and it is the focus of this article. Alongside it, CSAB NEUT allocates seats to candidates from the North-Eastern states and select Union Territories, and the Supernumerary Round covers a narrower set of Union Territory candidates. Each channel has its own eligibility rules, but the registration portal and process are broadly similar.
CSAB Counselling 2026 Registration Dates and Schedule
The full schedule is tight, and candidates get very little room to make mistakes. Here is how the CSAB Special Round 2026 timeline is laid out, based on the official notice.
Table
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Vacant seat matrix display and registration opens | July 28, 2026 |
| Mock seat allotment released | July 31, 2026 |
| Registration and SREF payment deadline | August 3, 2026 (10:00 AM) |
| Final choice locking deadline | August 5, 2026 (2:00 PM) |
| Special Round 1 (SR1) seat allotment | August 6, 2026 |
| SR1 fee payment, document upload and reporting | August 6 to 11, 2026 |
| Special Round 2 (SR2) seat allotment | August 12, 2026 |
| SR2 fee payment, document upload and reporting | August 12 to 17, 2026 |
2 columns · 9 rows
Two things trip up candidates every year. First, registration and choice locking have separate deadlines. If you miss the August 3 registration cut-off, you cannot fill or lock choices later, even though the locking window technically stays open until August 5. Second, a fresh registration is compulsory for CSAB, even if you already registered and participated in JoSAA. Choices filled in JoSAA are not carried forward to CSAB Special Rounds.
CSAB 2026 Vacant NIT+ Seats: The Numbers
The Central Seat Allocation Board released the tentative vacant seat matrix on July 28, 2026, alongside the opening of registration. Going through the matrix, the total works out to roughly 15,423 vacant seats across NITs, IIITs, IIEST Shibpur, SPAs and GFTIs, an increase of close to 1,700 seats over last year's count.
Table
| Institute Type | Approximate Vacant Seats |
|---|---|
| NITs (31 institutes) | ~5,200 |
| IIITs (26 institutes) | ~3,800 |
| GFTIs, IIEST Shibpur and SPAs | ~6,400 |
| Total (tentative, subject to change in Round 2) | ~15,423 |
2 columns · 5 rows
A vacancy in the matrix does not mean a guaranteed seat. Allotment still depends on your JEE Main rank, category, quota, gender pool, and how many other candidates are competing for the same combination. The safest way to use the matrix is to filter it strictly by your own category and home state quota before shortlisting anything, since rows outside your eligible pool are simply not usable.
It also helps to know why these seats opened up in the first place. Vacancies are created when JoSAA-allotted candidates do not report, fail to complete admission formalities, withdraw after accepting a seat, or move to another institute or counselling process entirely. Reserved-category seats that found no eligible candidate during JoSAA are converted back to open pool or re-pooled under CSAB rules, so the category-wise split you see in CSAB can look noticeably different from what you saw in JoSAA.
Who Can Apply for CSAB Counselling 2026?
Eligibility for the Special Round is fairly broad, but every condition needs to be met together, not in isolation.
- Hold a valid JEE Main 2026 rank (any category, any gender pool).
- Participated in JoSAA 2026 but did not get any seat allotted.
- Withdrew from JoSAA counselling before it concluded.
- Got a seat in JoSAA but want to try for a better branch or institute through CSAB.
- Did not participate in JoSAA at all, but otherwise meet CSAB's eligibility norms.
- Meet the age criteria: born on or after October 1, 2001 for General and EWS candidates, and on or after October 1, 1996 for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
- Are an Indian national, or hold OCI or PIO status where applicable.
Candidates who accepted and reported to a JoSAA seat are still allowed to try CSAB, but they need to understand the trade-off. Depending on the option chosen during registration, upgrading through CSAB can mean giving up the JoSAA seat, so this decision should not be made casually.
Documents Required for CSAB 2026 Registration
Keep scanned copies of these ready before you start, since the registration window is short and document upload happens in the same cycle.
- Class 10 marksheet and certificate for date-of-birth verification (or birth certificate/Aadhaar card).
- Class 12 marksheet and passing certificate.
- JEE Main 2026 admit card and scorecard.
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS), where applicable. OBC-NCL and EWS certificates must be issued on or after April 1, 2026.
- PwD certificate, if claiming that category.
- Domicile or state-of-eligibility certificate for home-state quota seats.
- Passport-size photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
- Valid ID proof such as Aadhaar or passport.
Any document not originally in English or Hindi must come with a certified translation in one of those two languages. Keep your JEE Main application number, password, an active mobile number, and a working email address handy too, since these are used for OTP verification during login.
CSAB 2026 Registration Fee and SREF
There is no separate charge simply to log in and register on the CSAB portal. The fee that matters is the Special Round Enrolment Fee, commonly called SREF, which is paid as part of the registration and choice-filling process, before the August 3 deadline.
Table
| Category | SREF Amount |
|---|---|
| General, EWS, OBC-NCL | Rs 40,000 |
| SC, ST, PwD | Rs 19,000 |
2 columns · 3 rows
Candidates who already paid the JoSAA Seat Acceptance Fee get an adjustment as per CSAB rules, so you are not necessarily paying the full amount twice. The CSAB NEUT round works differently, with a flat Seat Acceptance Fee of around Rs 5,000, paid only after allotment rather than at registration.
How to Register for CSAB Counselling 2026: Step-by-Step
The registration flow is a straightforward extension of your JEE Main login, but each step needs to be completed carefully since there is no scope to edit locked choices later.
- Visit the official CSAB portal at csab.nic.in.
- Log in using your JEE Main 2026 application number and password.
- Complete OTP verification sent to your registered mobile number and email.
- Verify and update your personal details, including category and PwD status if applicable.
- Pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF) through the payment gateway.
- Go through the vacant seat matrix and shortlist institutes and branches matching your category and quota.
- Fill in your choices in genuine order of preference, then lock them before the deadline.
- Download and save the confirmation slip once submission is complete.
CSAB allotment always picks the highest choice on your list for which you are eligible, never the reverse. A longer, well-ordered list only improves your chances, it never hurts them.
CSAB Special Round 1 and Round 2: What Actually Changes
CSAB Special Counselling 2026 runs across two allotment rounds rather than the five rounds JoSAA offers, so each round matters more than it would in a longer process.
Special Round 1 (SR1) allotment is expected on August 6, 2026, based on the choices you locked by August 5. Candidates who receive a seat in SR1 then go through fee payment, document upload, and online reporting between August 6 and 11. If a candidate does not get a seat in SR1, or chooses to surrender the one they received, their record carries forward into the next cycle.
Before Special Round 2 (SR2) opens, CSAB releases an updated vacant seat matrix. This second matrix reflects seats that opened up after SR1 reporting closed, whether from non-reporting, withdrawals, or fresh surrenders. SR2 allotment is expected on August 12, 2026, with fee payment, document upload and reporting running from August 12 to 17.
Because there are only two allotment opportunities, treat your very first choice list as the one that matters most. Build it with a genuine mix of ambitious, realistic and safe options rather than leaving gaps to 'adjust later', since the SR2 matrix depends entirely on what other candidates leave behind, not on what you personally hoped would open up.
CSAB Special Round vs JoSAA: Key Differences
Table
| Aspect | JoSAA | CSAB Special Round |
|---|---|---|
| Institutes covered | IITs, NITs, IIITs, GFTIs | NITs, IIITs, IIEST, SPAs, GFTIs (no IITs) |
| Number of rounds | Five | Two |
| Choice filling | Fresh, done once | Fresh again, JoSAA choices not carried forward |
| Registration | Separate | Separate, mandatory even after JoSAA |
| Typical cutoffs | Tighter for top branches | Often more relaxed for vacant seats |
3 columns · 6 rows
Because CSAB works on genuinely leftover seats, closing ranks can behave a little differently from JoSAA. Some branches close at ranks better than their JoSAA closing rank because a category shifted back to open pool, while others barely move. Checking previous years' CSAB opening and closing ranks for the specific institute and branch you are targeting gives a far more realistic picture than looking at JoSAA data alone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During CSAB Counselling 2026
- Assuming JoSAA choices automatically transfer to CSAB. They do not, and a fresh choice list is compulsory.
- Filling only two or three 'safe' choices instead of building a longer, genuinely ordered list.
- Missing the separate registration deadline while assuming the choice-locking window still applies.
- Choosing a branch only because its name sounds close to a popular field, without checking the actual curriculum.
- Ignoring category-wise and quota-wise filtering, which leads to shortlisting seats you are not actually eligible for.
- Not keeping documents translated and ready in advance, causing delays during verification.
- Overlooking the fee adjustment rules for candidates who already paid the JoSAA Seat Acceptance Fee.
CSAB NEUT and Supernumerary Round: A Quick Overview
The Special Round gets most of the attention, but CSAB 2026 also runs two smaller, parallel channels that some candidates overlook entirely.
CSAB NEUT is reserved for candidates from eight North-Eastern states, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur, Sikkim and Tripura, along with a defined set of Union Territories. Seats under this channel are allotted on JEE Main rank, but only candidates who meet the domicile and category conditions set by the DTEs of the respective states can register. Document verification for NEUT is handled separately by the concerned state's Directorate of Technical Education, which can add a few extra days compared to the Special Round.
The Supernumerary Round works on a similar idea but for a narrower set of Union Territories, and it typically has far fewer seats on offer than either the Special Round or NEUT. Candidates eligible for more than one channel should register wherever they qualify, since the channels run on separate seat pools and do not compete with each other for the same allotment.
Category Restoration in CSAB Counselling
One detail that catches many students off guard is category restoration. During JoSAA, a reserved-category seat that finds no eligible taker in the final round gets converted and shown as an open seat in the CSAB matrix. This is why a branch that looked completely closed for a certain category in JoSAA can suddenly reappear as available in CSAB, and why the category-wise seat count in CSAB can differ meaningfully from what was visible at the end of JoSAA.
Because of this restoration process, it pays to recheck the CSAB matrix by category rather than relying purely on memory of how JoSAA closed. A seat that seemed out of reach a few weeks ago may well be sitting in the CSAB list under a different pool now.
Practical Tips for CSAB Choice Filling
- Filter the vacant seat matrix by your exact category, quota and gender pool before you shortlist anything.
- Cross-check your home state quota eligibility carefully, since it directly affects which GFTI and state-linked seats you can select.
- List at least 20 to 30 realistic choices rather than a short list of three or four options, since allotment always works down your list, not against you.
- Place branches you are genuinely willing to join, not just ones that sound prestigious, since a locked choice cannot be edited after the deadline.
- Recheck the matrix again just before SR2 opens, since seats freed after SR1 reporting can change the picture significantly.
- Keep a scanned copy of every required document ready so document verification does not delay your reporting window.
What Students Should Do Next
Start by downloading the latest CSAB vacant seat matrix and filtering it down to your category, quota and gender pool. Cross-check the shortlisted institutes and branches against at least two to three years of previous CSAB opening and closing ranks, since a single year's data can be misleading. Once your list feels realistic, order it strictly by genuine preference and lock it well before the August 5 deadline rather than waiting until the last hour, when portal traffic tends to slow things down.
If SR1 does not go your way, do not assume the process is over. Track the updated SR2 vacant seat matrix closely, since it often includes seats that were not visible in the original list, and stay ready to complete reporting formalities quickly once SR2 allotment is out on August 12.
Useful CaderaEdu Links for CSAB 2026 Candidates
Use these tools and college pages to cross-check ranks, cutoffs and seat availability before locking your CSAB choices.
- JEE Main JoSAA College Predictor 2026
- NIT Andhra Pradesh
- NIT Delhi Engineering Department
- NIT Durgapur Engineering Department
- NIT Raipur Engineering Department
- NIT Jalandhar Engineering Department
- NIT Calicut Department of Management
- NIT Puducherry Research and Doctoral Studies
- IIIT Allahabad Cutoff
- IIIT Kota
- IIIT Vadodara Placements
- IIIT Lucknow Cutoff
- IIIT Sonepat
- CaderaEdu Homepage (College Predictors and Free Counselling)
Official External Resources
Always verify dates, fees and the final seat matrix on these official sources before making any decision.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CSAB Counselling 2026 registration date?
CSAB Special Round 2026 registration runs from July 28 to August 3, 2026, with fee payment and choice locking closing on August 5, 2026.
How many vacant seats are there in CSAB 2026?
The tentative CSAB 2026 seat matrix shows around 15,423 vacant seats across NITs, IIITs, IIEST Shibpur, SPAs and GFTIs, roughly 1,700 more than in 2025.
Does CSAB Counselling include IIT seats?
No. CSAB Special Round only covers the NIT+ system, meaning NITs, IIITs, IIEST Shibpur, SPAs and GFTIs. IIT seats are allotted entirely through JoSAA.
How many rounds are there in CSAB Special Counselling 2026?
There are two allotment rounds this year, Special Round 1 on August 6, 2026 and Special Round 2 on August 12, 2026.
What is the CSAB 2026 registration fee?
The Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF) is Rs 40,000 for General, EWS and OBC-NCL candidates, and Rs 19,000 for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
Can a candidate who did not appear in JoSAA apply for CSAB?
Yes, candidates who did not participate in JoSAA can still apply for CSAB Special Round, provided they hold a valid JEE Main 2026 rank and meet CSAB's eligibility criteria.
Are JoSAA choices carried forward to CSAB?
No. Candidates must complete a fresh registration and fill new choices for CSAB Special Rounds 2026, even if they registered and participated in JoSAA.
When will CSAB 2026 Round 2 seat allotment be released?
CSAB Special Round 2 (SR2) seat allotment is expected on August 12, 2026, followed by reporting from August 12 to 17, 2026.
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