Know all about IIT JAM Counselling 2026 including registration process, choice filling, seat allotment, documents required, and important dates for admissions to IITs and IISc.
A prerequisite for admission to postgraduate science programs offered by IITs and IISc, including M.Sc., M.Sc.-Ph.D. dual degrees, and other relevant courses, is the IIT JAM Counseling 2026. Qualified candidates must take part in the counseling process run by IIT JAM's Organizing Institute following the announcement of the IIT JAM 2026 results. To assist you with your preparation, this page offers a thorough rundown of the counseling schedule, registration procedure, necessary paperwork, and seat allocation process.
IIT JAM Counselling 2026 Important Dates
You can check the table given below with the tentative schedule of the IIT JAM counselling 2026, as the IIT JAM 2026 exam conducting body IIT Bombay is yet to release the counselling dates.
| Events | Dates |
| Past Events | |
| Submission of Application Form for Admission on JOAPS portal | March 2026 |
| Last Date of Submission of Application Form for Admission on JOAPS portal | April 2026 |
| Display of Invalid Category Candidates list on JAM 2025 Website | May 2026 |
| Declaration of First Admission List | May 2026 |
| Last Date for Online Payment of Seat Booking Fee for First Admission List | May 2026 |
| Declaration of Second Admission List | June 2026 |
| Opening and Closing of Withdrawal Option | June 2026 |
| Last Date for Online Payment of Seat Booking Fee for Second Admission List | June 2026 |
| Declaration of Third Admission List | June 2026 |
| Last Date for Online Payment of Seat Booking Fee for Third Admission List | June 2026 |
| Declaration of Fourth Admission List | June 2026 |
| Last Date for Online Payment of Seat Booking Fee for Fourth Admission List | July 2026 |
| Declaration of Additional Round List (if any) | July 04, 2025 (Friday) |
| Last Date for Online Payment of Seat Booking Fee for Additional Round Admission List | July 2026 |
| Downloading of Offer Letters from the Candidate Portal | July 2026 |
Related IIT JAM Counseslling Article Links
Step-by-Step IIT JAM Counselling Process 2026
The IIT JAM 2026 counselling process will be completely online. Candidates must follow these steps carefully:
- Counselling Registration
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- Visit the official JOAPS portal (joaps.iitm.ac.in).
- Log in using your enrolment ID, password, and captcha.
- Pay the non-refundable counselling fee (usually around ₹600) to confirm participation.
- Choice Filling
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- Candidates must fill in their preferred courses and institutes in the order of priority.
- It is advised to research each program’s eligibility, cut-off trends, and placement scope before finalizing preferences.
- You can edit or rearrange preferences until the submission deadline.
- Seat Allotment Rounds
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- The seat allotment will be done in multiple rounds (generally four).
- Allotment depends on the candidate’s JAM rank, category, and preferences filled.
- After each round, candidates can choose to Accept & Freeze, Accept & Upgrade, or Reject the offered seat.
- Acceptance Fee Payment
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- Once a seat is allotted, candidates must pay the seat acceptance fee (₹10,000 for General/OBC-NCL/EWS and ₹5,000 for SC/ST/PwD).
- The payment confirms provisional admission.
- Document Verification
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- Candidates must upload scanned copies of required documents for verification through the JOAPS portal.
- Failure to upload or verify documents within the given timeline may lead to cancellation of the offer.
- Final Admission
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- After all rounds, the organizing IIT releases a final admission list.
- Candidates must report to the allotted institute to complete the admission formalities and pay the academic fees.
Documents Required for IIT JAM Counselling 2025
Candidates must carry the original and photocopies of all the essential documents required for IIT JAM Counselling 2025. No digital formats of ID proofs will be accepted.
The following are the ID proofs and documents needed for the IIT JAM 2025 Counselling process.
- Class 10th Marksheet
- Class 12th Marksheet
- Aspirants Birth Certificate
- Candidates' valid ID Proofs (Voters ID/PAN Card/Aadhar Card/Passport/)
- IIT JAM 2025 Admit Card
- IIT JAM 2025 Application Form
- IIT JAM 2025 Scorecard
- Candidates' Transfer/Migration Certificate
- Candidates Qualifying for Degree Certificate and Degree Marksheet
- Aspirants Marksheets till Final Year ( All Semesters)
- Nationality Certificate (For General)
- Caste/Reservation Certificate ( For SC, ST, OBC, NCL, and EWS )
- Valid Certificate (For PwD aspirants)
What is the IIT JAM Counselling 2026 Fees?
You can check the category-wise IIT JAM counselling 2026 fees in the table given below
| Category | Counselling Fees |
| General | INR 10,000/- |
| Scheduled Caste | INR 5,000/- |
| Scheduled Tribe | INR 5,000/- |
| Physically Handicapped | INR 5,000/- |
IIT JAM 2026 Seat Allotment
The IIT JAM seat allotment is purely merit-based. The following factors determine seat allocation:
Candidate’s All India Rank (AIR) in JAM 2026
- Category (GEN, OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST, PwD)
- Seat availability in the preferred program
- Order of choices filled during counselling
Seat Allotment Rounds:
- Round 1: Candidates with top ranks are allotted seats based on their first few preferences.
- Round 2 & 3: Vacant seats from previous rounds are reallocated. Candidates may get upgraded options.
- Final Round: Conducted to fill remaining vacancies.
After final allotment, candidates must report to the respective IIT to complete admission procedures.
IIT JAM Counselling 2026 Participating Institutes
The counselling process includes 21 IITs and IISc Bangalore, which admit students based on JAM scores. Some of the prominent participating institutes include:
- IIT Bombay
- IIT Delhi
- IIT Madras
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Kharagpur
- IIT Roorkee
- IIT Guwahati
- IIT Hyderabad
- IIT Gandhinagar
- IISc Bangalore
Each institute offers a variety of postgraduate programs in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Geology, Biotechnology, and Economics.
What After IIT JAM Counselling?
Once the counselling process concludes, candidates must:
- Report to the allotted IIT/IISc as per the schedule.
- Submit original documents for verification.
- Pay the institute’s academic fees.
- Attend orientation and begin classes as per the academic calendar.
Those who fail to report within the deadline may lose their admission offer.
Tips for IIT JAM Counselling 2026
- Check eligibility for each program before applying.
- Prioritize your preferences wisely based on your JAM score and interest area.
- Keep your documents ready in advance to avoid last-minute issues.
- Track all updates on the JOAPS portal regularly.
If you are unsure about a seat, choose “Accept & Upgrade” to stay eligible for better options in the next rounds.
Conclusion
The last step in the admissions process for applicants hoping to study at India's best IITs and IISc is the IIT JAM Counseling 2026. Candidates can increase their chances of being admitted to their desired program by being aware of the counseling process, preparing their documents ahead of time, and making well-informed decisions. To guarantee a seamless admissions process, keep an eye out for updates on the JOAPS portal and carefully follow all instructions.
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Prerequisite for IIT/IISc postgraduate science programs. -
Managed by IIT JAM's Organizing Institute. -
Starts after IIT JAM 2026 results. -
Includes schedule, documents, and seat allocation.
