Students aspiring for a career in engineering who did not secure a seat through the initial JoSAA counselling now have a fresh opportunity. The Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) has initiated a special counselling round, making available 15,423 engineering seats in various centrally funded technical institutes.
Thousands of Seats Available Across Top Institutions
This special admission window addresses the significant number of vacancies identified after the conclusion of JoSAA 2026. The available seats are spread across 119 institutions, including:
- 31 National Institutes of Technology (NITs)
- 27 Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)
- IIEST Shibpur
- 60 Government-Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs)
Government-Funded Technical Institutes account for the largest share of these vacancies, with 6,945 seats open. NITs have 4,611 vacant seats, while IIITs report 3,628 openings. IIEST Shibpur has 239 seats available. Of the total, 13,156 seats are gender-neutral, and 2,267 are reserved for female candidates.
Computer Science & Engineering Sees Substantial Vacancies
Even highly sought-after branches like Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) have a considerable number of unfilled seats. A total of 3,098 CSE seats are available through this special round, distributed as follows:
- GFTIs: 1,405 seats
- IIITs: 1,173 seats
- NITs: 503 seats
- IIEST Shibpur: 17 seats
For NITs, the vacant seats also include specific quotas: 2,372 under the Other State quota, 2,081 under the Home State quota, and 158 across the Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh quotas.
Eligibility and Important Dates for CSAB Special Counselling
Candidates with a valid JEE Main 2026 All India Rank (AIR) who meet the required eligibility criteria are encouraged to participate. This round provides a crucial second chance for those who missed out on initial allotments or are seeking better options within centrally funded institutes.
Key dates for the CSAB 2026 special counselling are:
- Registration Window: Opened July 28, 2026, closes August 3, 2026 (10 am IST)
- Mock Seat Allotment: July 31, 2026
- Choice Filling Deadline: August 5, 2026 (2 pm IST)
- Round 1 Allotment: August 6, 2026
- Online Reporting & Document Verification (Round 1): August 6–10, 2026
- Round 2 Allotment: August 12, 2026
- Online Reporting (Round 2): August 12–14, 2026
- Physical Reporting at Institutes: August 13–18, 2026
Aspirants are advised to complete their registration promptly and carefully rank their preferred choices, as seat allotment will depend on their JEE Main rank, eligibility, and the availability of seats.