CSAB 2026 Special Round Cutoff: College-Wise Opening and Closing Rank
Click to enlarge
CSAB 2026 Special Round cutoffs span an extraordinarily wide range, from a closing rank of 981 for VNIT Nagpur's Bachelor of Architecture programme at the tightest end, to 741,304 for NIT Agartala's Integrated M.Sc Physics programme at the most relaxed end. With Round 1 results and cutoffs released on August 6 and 7, and Round 2 cutoffs following around August 14, this year's two-round CSAB Special Round has now largely played out across the 71 participating NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. This guide breaks down the college-wise opening and closing ranks by institute type and branch, so you can judge exactly where your JEE Main rank stands.
How to Read CSAB Opening and Closing Ranks
The opening rank is the best, or lowest, JEE Main Common Rank List rank at which a seat was allotted in a given institute, programme, quota, seat type and gender combination during a specific round. The closing rank is the highest, or weakest, rank that still secured a seat in that same combination. A rank at or below the closing rank has a genuine chance in that exact combination, though nothing is guaranteed since allotment also depends on how many candidates ahead of you accept or reject the seat.
Every CSAB cutoff figure only makes sense when read alongside five matching factors together: the specific institute, the exact programme, the quota (home state or other state for NITs), the seat type, and the gender pool. Comparing a Home State cutoff with an Other State cutoff, or a female-only cutoff with a gender-neutral one, will give you a misleading picture, so always check that all five factors match your own profile before drawing conclusions from any single number.
CSAB 2026 Round-Wise Release Timeline
Table
| Round | Seat Allotment Date | Opening and Closing Rank Released |
|---|---|---|
| Special Round 1 | August 6, 2026 | August 7, 2026 |
| Special Round 2 | August 12, 2026 | Around August 14, 2026 |
3 columns · 3 rows
CSAB is running in only two Special Rounds for the 2026 cycle, a shorter format than some previous years. This makes Round 2 the effective final chance to secure a seat within the standard CSAB process this year, before any separate NEUT or supernumerary rounds that may follow for specific eligible categories.
CSAB 2026 NIT Opening and Closing Rank: College-Wise Overview
A total of 4,850 seats were vacant across NITs for CSAB 2026, and the resulting closing ranks vary enormously depending on institute reputation, location and branch. The table below reflects confirmed and indicative closing rank patterns for the open category, gender-neutral pool, drawn from released 2026 round data alongside very recent historical trends.
Table
| NIT | Branch | Approximate Closing Rank (Open, Gender-Neutral) |
|---|---|---|
| VNIT Nagpur | Bachelor of Architecture | 981 (most competitive across the NIT+ system) |
| NIT Trichy | Computer Science and Engineering | Roughly 4,500 to 32,800 across quota and seat type |
| NIT Warangal | Computer Science and Engineering | Closes well under rank 10,000 in most categories |
| NIT Karnataka, Surathkal | Electronics and Communication Engineering | 7,030 (Round 1, home state, open category) |
| Mid-tier NITs (Bhopal, Nagpur, Patna) | Computer Science and Engineering | Roughly 3,000 to 8,000, based on recent trends |
| Newer NITs (Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim) | Computer Science and Engineering | Roughly 28,000 to 55,000, based on recent trends |
| NIT Agartala | Integrated M.Sc Physics | 741,304 (widest closing rank recorded in 2026) |
3 columns · 8 rows
This spread illustrates why treating NITs as a single tier is misleading during CSAB. VNIT Nagpur's Architecture programme closed more competitively than most JoSAA-level cutoffs, while a lesser-known programme at a newer NIT stayed open past a rank of 7 lakh in the very same counselling cycle.
How CSAB 2026 Cutoffs Compare With Previous Years
CSAB CSE cutoffs across the NIT+ system have stayed fairly stable through 2023, 2024 and 2025, and early 2026 data suggests a broadly similar pattern rather than a dramatic shift in either direction. Top NITs like Trichy, Warangal and Surathkal closed CSE between roughly rank 1,000 and 1,605 in 2025, nearly as tight as the final round of JoSAA itself, while mid-tier NITs such as Bhopal, Nagpur and Patna closed CSE between 3,000 and 8,000 in the same cycle.
This year-on-year consistency is useful for planning purposes. If your target institute and branch closed at a particular rank last year, expecting a similar range this year, with perhaps a small adjustment for the 1,700-seat increase in the overall NIT+ vacancy pool for 2026, is a more reliable planning approach than assuming cutoffs will shift sharply from one year to the next. That said, always treat a previous year's closing rank as a reference point rather than a guarantee, since actual seat availability depends on how many candidates accept, reject or fail to report each round.
CSAB 2026 IIIT Opening and Closing Rank
Twenty-six IIITs typically participate in CSAB, and unlike NITs, IIIT seats have no home state or other state quota split, since every seat is allotted from a single all-India rank pool. It is worth noting clearly that IIIT Hyderabad and IIIT Delhi do not take part in CSAB or JoSAA at all, admitting instead through their own separate processes, UGEE and JAC Delhi respectively, so they will never appear in any CSAB cutoff list.
- Top IIITs such as IIIT Allahabad and ABV-IIITM Gwalior typically close under rank 10,000 for Computer Science and IT branches, among the tightest in the entire IIIT pool.
- Mid-range IIITs generally close somewhere between 15,000 and 35,000 for the same branches, offering a realistic target for a wider band of candidates.
- Newer IIITs, including options like IIIT Kalyani and IIIT Dharwad, can extend well past 30,000 and occasionally past 65,000 for CSE and ECE, making them a strong option for candidates outside the very top rank bands.
- Other commonly targeted IIITs through CSAB include IIIT Vadodara, IIIT Kancheepuram, IIIT Sri City, IIIT Lucknow, IIIT Nagpur and IIIT Guwahati.
CSAB 2026 GFTI Opening and Closing Rank
GFTIs remain the widest-access category in the entire CSAB system, and this makes them the strongest safety net for candidates who miss out on both NIT and IIIT seats. Cutoff patterns generally follow a 5 to 15 percent relaxation compared to JoSAA's final round for the same institute and branch, though the exact figure varies significantly by institute reputation.
- Top-tier GFTIs such as BIT Mesra typically close under rank 20,000 for Computer Science in general categories, among the more competitive options in this group.
- PEC Chandigarh, another well-regarded GFTI, generally closes Computer Science somewhere between rank 10,000 and 18,000, closer to a mid-tier NIT than a typical GFTI.
- Mid-tier GFTIs at central or state universities see closing ranks fluctuate widely, commonly between 40,000 and 85,000 for popular branches.
- Newer or less prominent state GFTIs experience the sharpest rank drops of the entire NIT+ system, with seats sometimes available well past a rank of 1,00,000.
- Other commonly targeted GFTIs include IIEST Shibpur, ICT Mumbai and the various Schools of Planning and Architecture, depending on the specific programme.
Branch-Wise Cutoff Pattern Across NIT+ System
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics and Computing programmes consistently record the lowest, most competitive closing ranks across every institute type in CSAB 2026, reflecting the same demand pattern seen throughout JoSAA. Core branches open up considerably more room further down the rank list.
Table
| Institute Tier | CSE Closing Rank Pattern | Core Branch (Mechanical, Civil) Closing Rank Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Top NITs (Trichy, Warangal, Surathkal) | Roughly 1,000 to 32,800 depending on quota and seat type | Roughly 18,000 to 32,000 |
| Mid-tier NITs (Bhopal, Nagpur, Patna) | Roughly 3,000 to 8,000 | Wider than CSE, often 20,000 and above |
| Top IIITs (Allahabad, Gwalior) | Under 10,000 | Limited core branch options, since most IIITs focus on CS and allied fields |
| Top GFTIs (BIT Mesra, PEC Chandigarh) | 10,000 to 20,000 | Considerably wider, often extending past 40,000 |
3 columns · 5 rows
Candidates open to core branches consistently get access to noticeably better-ranked institutes at the same JEE Main rank compared to those fixed on Computer Science, since demand for core engineering branches has stayed comparatively lower through both JoSAA and CSAB in recent cycles.
Category-Wise Cutoff Relaxation
Reserved category cutoffs relax significantly compared to the open category CRL rank shown in most published tables, and this relaxation should be factored in carefully before assuming a seat is out of reach.
- SC and ST candidates typically gain access to seats at CRL ranks roughly 3 to 5 times higher than the equivalent General category closing rank.
- OBC-NCL candidates typically see closing ranks around 1.5 to 2 times higher than the General category figure for the same institute and branch.
- EWS candidates generally see a smaller relaxation than OBC-NCL, though this still varies meaningfully by institute and programme.
- PwD candidates have a separate, generally more relaxed cutoff pool within each category and quota combination.
Because these multipliers are approximate and vary by institute, always check your own category's published closing rank directly for the specific institute and programme rather than applying a blanket multiplier to the General category figure.
CSAB vs JoSAA Closing Ranks: Why CSAB Is More Relaxed
CSAB closing ranks are generally more relaxed than JoSAA's final round closing ranks for the same institute and branch, typically by around 5 to 15 percent, though the gap can be considerably wider for less popular programmes. This happens because CSAB only fills seats that remained vacant after JoSAA's own six rounds concluded, meaning the strongest-ranked candidates in any given branch have almost always already secured their seat through JoSAA before CSAB counselling even begins.
This is also why top NIT CSE seats are so scarce in CSAB specifically. VNIT Nagpur, for example, had only 19 CSE seats available through CSAB this year, a tiny fraction of its total intake, since the overwhelming majority of CSE seats at well-regarded NITs are claimed well before CSAB counselling opens.
How to Check Your College-Wise CSAB Cutoff on the Official Portal
- Visit the official CSAB counselling portal and open the DASA and CSAB-Special section.
- Click on CSAB Special Opening and Closing Ranks for the relevant year.
- Select the specific round you want to check, either Special Round 1 or Special Round 2.
- Choose the institute type first, NIT, IIIT or GFTI, followed by the specific institute name and academic programme.
- Filter further by quota, seat type and gender to match your own exact profile before reading the opening and closing rank shown.
- Cross-check the figure against your JEE Main CRL rank and category rank before deciding how to fill or adjust your choices.
Which NITs, IIITs and GFTIs to Target Based on Your Rank
- Under 10,000: Top NIT core branches, and CSE or IT at the strongest IIITs like Allahabad or ABV-IIITM Gwalior, remain realistic targets.
- 10,000 to 50,000: Core branches at mid-tier NITs, CSE or ECE at newer IIITs such as Kalyani or Dharwad, and top-tier GFTIs like BIT Mesra or PEC Chandigarh open up meaningfully.
- 50,000 to 1,00,000: Core and dual-degree branches at mid-to-lower tier NITs, science programmes at newer IIITs, and system-aligned GFTIs become the realistic zone.
- Above 1,00,000: State university GFTIs and less prominent institutes still carry vacant seats in several branches, making them worth reviewing rather than dismissing outright.
Common Mistakes When Reading CSAB Cutoffs
- Comparing a Home State NIT cutoff with an Other State cutoff, when the two pools are calculated completely separately.
- Assuming IIITs follow the same home state or other state quota system as NITs, when every IIIT seat is allotted from a single all-India pool.
- Expecting IIIT Hyderabad or IIIT Delhi cutoffs to appear in CSAB data, when neither institute participates in CSAB or JoSAA at all.
- Reading only the General category figure and assuming your own reserved category rank works the same way, without checking the category-specific closing rank directly.
- Judging all NITs as equally competitive based only on a well-known institute's CSE cutoff, when the range across programmes and institutes within the same NIT+ system can span from under 1,000 to over 7 lakh.
- Ignoring that CSAB Round 2 cutoffs are usually more relaxed than Round 1, and giving up on a target institute too early in the process.
What to Do Next
Once you have compared your JEE Main CRL and category rank against the college-wise opening and closing rank data above, the next step is checking the exact current figures for your shortlisted institutes and programmes directly on the official CSAB portal, since figures are updated after every round. If Round 2 has already closed for you without a seat, keep an eye on the portal for any further NEUT or supernumerary rounds that may open depending on your eligibility.
Useful Internal Links
- JoSAA JEE Main College Predictor 2026
- Top NITs in India
- NIT Mizoram admission details
- NIT Andhra Pradesh admission details
- IIIT Bhagalpur admissions
- JAC Delhi College Predictor 2026
- UPTAC College Predictor 2026
- COMEDK College Predictor 2026
- GATE College Predictor 2026
- JoSAA 2026 complete counselling guide
- JoSAA 2026 official schedule
- CSAB NEUT 2026 seat allocation update
Official External Resources
Topics:
Share this article
Copy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CSAB 2026 closing rank for CSE at top NITs?
Top NITs like NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal and NIT Surathkal generally close Computer Science well under rank 10,000 for the open category, with Trichy's overall CSE range extending up to roughly 32,800 depending on quota and seat type.
What is the lowest and highest CSAB 2026 closing rank recorded so far?
VNIT Nagpur recorded the most competitive closing rank at 981 for its Bachelor of Architecture programme, while NIT Agartala recorded the most relaxed closing rank at 741,304 for its Integrated M.Sc Physics programme.
Do IIIT Hyderabad and IIIT Delhi participate in CSAB counselling?
No. IIIT Hyderabad admits through its own UGEE process and IIIT Delhi admits through JAC Delhi, so neither institute appears in CSAB or JoSAA cutoff data.
Is CSAB closing rank higher or lower than JoSAA closing rank for the same college?
CSAB closing ranks are typically 5 to 15 percent more relaxed than JoSAA's final round closing rank for the same institute and branch, since CSAB only fills seats left vacant after JoSAA concludes.
How many rounds does CSAB 2026 have?
CSAB 2026 is being conducted in two Special Rounds, with Round 1 cutoffs released on August 7 and Round 2 cutoffs released around August 14, 2026.
Can I get a good GFTI through CSAB with a rank above 50,000?
Yes. Mid-tier GFTIs commonly close popular branches between 40,000 and 85,000, and newer or state university GFTIs can stay open well past 1,00,000 in several programmes.
How much rank relaxation do SC and ST candidates get in CSAB 2026?
SC and ST candidates typically gain access to seats at CRL ranks roughly 3 to 5 times higher than the equivalent General category closing rank for the same institute and branch.
Where can I check the official college-wise CSAB 2026 opening and closing rank?
The official college-wise CSAB opening and closing rank data is published on csab.nic.in under the DASA and CSAB-Special section, filterable by round, institute, programme, quota, seat type and gender.
Confused About College Admissions?
Get expert advice on college selection, admission chances, and career path in a personalized counselling session.
Book a Counselling Slot
Select Date
Pick a Slot