JEE Main Seat Allotment: A Complete Guide

The JEE Main Seat Allotment is a step in the counselling process where you are assigned seats in engineering colleges based on their JEE Main rank, category, preferences, and seat availability.

The JEE Main Seat Allotment process is an important phase for you if you are aiming to secure admission into top institutions like NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.  After clearing the JEE Main 2026 exam, you must go through the seat allotment procedure managed by JoSAA. 

Read More: JEE Main Important Dates 2026

Who Conducts the JEE Main Seat Allotment?

The JEE Main seat allotment process is conducted by JoSAA, i.e., Joint Seat Allocation Authority. JoSAA manages admissions to

• 31 NITs (National Institutes of Technology)
• 25 IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology)
• 28 GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes)
• 23 IITs (For JEE Advanced qualifiers only)

Check This: JEE Main Syllabus 2026

Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main Seat Allotment

The authorities set an eligibility criterion for you to participate in the JEE Main counselling and seat allotment process. The required eligibility criteria for JEE Main seat allotment is as follows: 

Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main Seat Allotment

Criteria	Details
1. Exam Qualification	Must qualify for the JEE Main 2026 examination.
2. Educational Qualification	Must have passed Class 12 (or equivalent) examination with the following subjects: - Physics - Mathematics - One of: Chemistry / Biology / Biotechnology / Technical Vocational Subject
3. Minimum Marks Required	For admission into NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs: - General/OBC: Minimum 75% in Class 12 OR Top 20 percentile of respective board - SC/ST/PwD: Minimum 65% in Class 12 OR Top 20 percentile of respective board
4. Board Recognition	Class 12 must be from a recognized Central or State Board (e.g., CBSE, ISC, State Boards).
5. Subject Combination	Should meet subject requirements as per the institute and course applied (e.g., some courses may require Chemistry specifically).
6. Age Limit	No age limit for appearing in JEE Main or JoSAA, but age restrictions may apply for specific GFTIs or institutes.
7. Domicile Requirements	Some GFTIs and State-funded institutes may have home state quota or domicile-based eligibility for certain seats.
8. Attempts Limit	A candidate can attempt JEE Main for three consecutive years, and JoSAA counselling is open only to those who have appeared in the valid year.

Read More: JEE Main Previous Year Question Papers

JEE Main Seat Allotment Process

The JEE Main seat allotment process is conducted in different steps. The detailed steps have been mentioned below

Step-by-Step Procedure:

The JEE Main 2026 seat allotment process will be conducted in multiple steps. The JEE Main 2026 step-by-step procedure is added below:

1. Registration on JoSAA Portal: Log in using JEE Main roll number and password.
2. Choice Filling: Fill your preferred colleges and branches.
3. Choice Locking: Lock choices before the deadline.
4. Mock Allotment Rounds: This will give you an idea of what seat will be allotted to you.
5. Seat Allotment Rounds: Participate in up to six rounds of seat allotment.
6. Seat Acceptance: Accept, float, freeze, or slide your allotted seat.
7. Reporting and Document Verification: Complete this at the Reporting Center (RC) or online.

Choice Filling & Locking

The JEE Main 2026 choice filling and locking process is an important stage of JoSAA Counselling. You must fill out your preferences carefully, prioritizing branches and colleges wisely. You are allowed to fill in as many choices as you want. 

Mock Allotment

JEE Main 2026 mock allotment is conducted 2 times before the final seat allotment. This helps you to know

• If your current choices will help you get a seat.
• How to Add New Choices for Better Options.

Final Allotment Rounds

The JEE Main 2026 counselling process is conducted in six rounds, with each round concluding with a final seat allotment and reporting.

• The seats will be allotted to you based on rank, category, and preferences
• You can choose one of the following options:
• Freeze: Accept the seat and don’t participate in further rounds
• Float: Accept the seat but wish to upgrade to a better choice
• Slide: Accept the seat but want a better branch in the same institute

Check This: JEE Main Answer Key 2026

Seat Acceptance & Reporting Process

After the seat allotment process, the seat acceptance and reporting process will take place. Once a seat is allotted, follow the given steps:

1. Pay Seat Acceptance Fee

• ₹35,000 for General/OBC
• ₹15,000 for SC/ST/PwD

Upload Documents: As per JoSAA instructions.

Report Online: Visit the assigned institute’s reporting portal or Reporting Centre.

Final Admission: After document verification and payment of the remaining fees, admission is confirmed.

Types of Seat Allotment Quotas

There are various seat quotas under JEE Main seat allotment that can help you get admission to colleges with low fees. The various types of seat allotment quotas with details are as follows:

Types of Seat Allotment Quotas

Quota Type	Description	Applicable Institutes
All India Quota (AIQ)	Seats open to candidates from any state or union territory of India, regardless of domicile.	Mostly applicable to GFTIs
Home State Quota	Reserved for candidates who have passed Class 12 from the same state as where the institute is located.	NITs, GFTIs
Other State Quota	For candidates who do not belong to the state where the institute is located.	NITs only
Gender-Neutral Seats	Open to all genders, but mostly occupied by male candidates due to fewer female applicants in technical fields.	All participating institutes
Female-Only Seats	Reserved exclusively for female candidates to improve gender diversity in technical education.	All participating institutes
General Category	For candidates who do not fall under any reservation category. No relaxation in marks, rank, or fees.	All participating institutes
OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer)	Reservation for candidates belonging to the Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer). Requires a valid OBC-NCL certificate.	All participating institutes
SC (Scheduled Caste)	Reserved for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes. Must produce a valid SC certificate issued by a competent authority.	All participating institutes
ST (Scheduled Tribe)	For candidates from Scheduled Tribes. Requires a valid ST certificate.	All participating institutes
PwD (Persons with Disabilities)	5% of seats in each category are reserved for candidates with benchmark disabilities (40% or more). Requires a valid PwD certificate.	All participating institutes
EWS (Economically Weaker Section)	10% reservation for candidates from the General category with annual family income below ₹8 lakh. Must provide a valid EWS certificate.	All participating institutes

Documents Required for Verification

To finalise your seat, keep these documents ready:

• JEE Main 2026 Admit Card
• JEE Main Rank Card
• Class 10 & 12 Mark Sheets and Passing Certificate
• Category Certificate (if applicable)
• PwD Certificate (if applicable)
• Passport-sized photographs
• Seat Allotment Letter
• Proof of Fee Payment
• Photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, etc.)

JEE Main Cutoff for Seat Allotment

The JEE Main cutoff refers to the minimum rank required to get admission into a specific course and college. JoSAA releases opening and closing ranks for each round. You can check previous year cutoffs to estimate their chances. Cutoffs vary based on:

• Institute and Branch
• Category and Quota
• Number of Applicants
• Difficulty Level of JEE Main Exam

The JEE Main Seat Allotment 2026 process is not a complete process. Following the right steps carefully will help you get into the college of your choice in the seat allotment process. Proper planning during choice filling, understanding cutoff trends, and timely document verification are as important as other aspects of the seat allotment process. Stay updated with the latest schedule and make decisions smartly.