CSAB Registration 2026: Application Form, Choice Filling & Eligibility

Did you appear for JEE Main 2026 and miss a seat in JoSAA? Or maybe you got a seat but want a better one. Either way, CSAB Registration 2026 is your next opportunity. It fills the vacant seats left in NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and other institutes under the NIT+ system once JoSAA rounds wrap up.

Below, you’ll find a clear, step-by-step breakdown of the registration process, the eligibility rules, and how to fill your choices — without the confusing jargon.

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CSAB 2026 Registration: Special Round, NEUT & Supernumerary

CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) runs three separate counselling channels, and each one has its own registration window and eligibility rules:

Round	Who it’s for
CSAB Special Round	Candidates who missed JoSAA or want to upgrade after JoSAA
CSAB NEUT	Candidates from North-Eastern States and Union Territories
CSAB Supernumerary	Candidates from Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, seeking seats at NIT Calicut, NIT Durgapur, and SVNIT Surat

For 2026, the Special Round registration opens on July 28, and the window closes around August 3. Before that, a separate category-restoration process runs from July 22–23.

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CSAB Registration Dates 2026 (Key Timeline)

• July 22–23, 2026 — Special round category restoration
• July 28, 2026 — CSAB Special counselling registration opens
• August 3, 2026 — Registration deadline (as per current schedule)
• After that, choice filling, seat allotment, fee payment, and reporting follow in stages

Since these dates are provisional and can shift, it’s worth checking csab.nic.in directly as the deadline approaches.

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Eligibility Criteria for CSAB 2026 Registration

Your eligibility depends on which round you’re applying for. Generally speaking, you qualify for the CSAB Special Round if you fall into one of these categories:

• Type 1: You didn’t register for JoSAA at all, but you meet JEE Main eligibility
• Type 2: Registration happened for JoSAA, but no seat was allotted
• Type 3: A JoSAA seat was allotted, but it got cancelled due to non-payment of the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF)
• Type 4: Exiting JoSAA counselling voluntarily also qualifies you
• Type 5: An IIT seat came through JoSAA, but document verification led to its cancellation
• Type 6: JoSAA is already complete (SAF and PAF paid, NIT+ seat secured), yet an upgrade is still the goal

A few other conditions also apply:

• Your JEE Main 2026 score or rank must fall within the cutoff
• You must be an Indian national or hold an OCI/PIO card
• Age criteria usually apply (born on or after October 1, 2001 for General/EWS; October 1, 1996 for SC/ST/PwD candidates)
• If you selected “Not to Participate in Special Round” during JoSAA reporting, you’re not eligible this time

For CSAB Supernumerary, note that prior JoSAA or CSAB Special participation doesn’t carry forward, so you’ll need a fresh registration. Only Indian nationals can apply for this round.

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CSAB Registration 2026: Step-by-Step Process

Since the entire process happens online at csab.nic.in, here’s how it works:

Step 1: Log in to the CSAB portal
Use your JEE Main 2026 application number/roll number along with the password created during JEE Main registration (or the latest updated password from JEE Advanced, JoSAA, or a previous CSAB round).

Step 2: Complete OTP verification
Next, an OTP arrives on your registered mobile number to confirm your identity.

Step 3: Review your details
Then, check your personal, academic, and category information carefully before you submit.

Step 4: Complete document verification and fee payment
Finally, note that fees apply only after registration and seat allotment — not at the time of registration itself.

Note: For Pharmacy admissions, you’ll need to create a separate login and password via a dedicated link on the CSAB portal, rather than using your JEE Main credentials.

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Is There a Registration Fee?

No — CSAB registration itself is free. You pay only once a seat is allotted to you, as part of the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF):

• ₹35,000 for General, EWS, and OBC-NCL candidates
• ₹15,000 for SC, ST, and PwD candidates

The institute later adjusts this amount against your final admission fee.

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Documents You’ll Need

Before you start, keep these documents ready:

• JEE Main 2026 admit card and scorecard
• Class 10 certificate (for date of birth proof)
• Class 12 marksheet or pass certificate
• Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS), if applicable
• PwD/UDID certificate, if applicable
• Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) or Domicile certificate, if applicable
• Passport-size photograph (same as used in your JEE Main application)
• Seat allotment letter (once you receive it)
• Photo ID proof (Aadhaar/PAN/Passport)
• SAF payment receipt
• OCI/PIO certificate, for foreign nationals under the Supernumerary round

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How to Fill Choices in CSAB 2026

Since your final institute and branch depend on strategy as much as rank, choice filling deserves careful attention. Here’s what you should know:

1. Based on your rank, category, and eligibility, the portal shows a list of available institute-branch combinations.
2. Add as many choices as possible, in genuine order of preference, so you don’t leave out options you’d actually accept.
3. Because the portal allows edits, you can reorder, edit, or add new choices as many times as you like before the final lock.
4. Lock your choices before the deadline, because if you don’t lock them manually, the system treats your last saved list as final automatically.
5. Note that choices filled during JoSAA do not carry over, so you must fill fresh choices for CSAB.
6. Once you’re done, download and keep a printout of your locked choices for reference.

Tip: Before locking your choices, study last year’s opening and closing ranks along with the vacant seat matrices for your target branches. Doing so is often the difference between a good allotment and a missed opportunity.

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After Choice Locking: What Happens Next

• The board publishes seat allotment online based on rank, choices, and seat availability
• Once allotted, you download your allotment letter and pay the balance fee within the given window
• Document verification and physical reporting at the allotted institute follow next
• If you miss these formalities or delay fee payment, your seat may get cancelled, and no refund applies

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Quick FAQ

Since dates and details for CSAB Counselling 2026 remain subject to official updates, always cross-check the latest schedule and notifications at csab.nic.in before you proceed.