CSAB 2026 Counselling Registration (Starts) Live: Special Round Choice Filling Link at csab.nic.in
Published 28 Jul 20263 min read
If you didn't land a seat through JoSAA, here's your next shot. The Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) has kicked off registration and choice filling for the 2026 Special Round on its official portal, csab.nic.in. This round is meant for candidates who couldn't secure admission through JoSAA counselling based on their JEE Main rank and are now hoping to grab one of the vacant seats.
One thing to keep in mind right away — your JoSAA registration won't carry over here. You'll need to register fresh on the CSAB portal, and any choices you filled during JoSAA stand null and void for this round.
Who Can Apply
- Candidates who never registered for JoSAA but meet the eligibility criteria
- Those who participated in JoSAA but didn't get a seat
- Candidates whose seat was cancelled in JoSAA due to non-payment of the Seat Acceptance Fee
- Anyone who exited JoSAA or withdrew after allotment
- Candidates whose admission got cancelled in the NIT+ system after verification or due to non-payment of the Provisional Admission Fee
You'll also need a valid JEE Main 2026 rank — Paper 1 for BE/BTech programs, Paper 2 for BArch — and should have cleared Class 12 (or equivalent) in 2024, 2025, or 2026, with your date of birth matching what's on your JEE Main information bulletin.
How to Register
- Log in using your JEE Main credentials
- Complete OTP verification
- Review all the information displayed and submit
- Complete document verification and pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF)
There's no charge for the registration itself — fees kick in only after that, and again after seat allotment.
What You'll Pay, and When
| Category | SREF (IAF-I + SRPF) — after registration | IAF-II — after seat allotment |
|---|---|---|
| GEN/GEN-EWS/OBC-NCL | Rs 40,000 | Rs 35,000 |
| SC/ST/PwD | Rs 19,000 | Rs 16,000 |
You can pay via net banking, debit card, credit card, or an SBI e-challan.
About Those Choices
Since your JoSAA preferences don't count anymore, you'll need to fill everything fresh — and it's worth saving often as you go. All NIT+ programs you're eligible for will show up on your list, whether or not they currently have a vacancy, since the seat matrix can still change after each round. Don't skip a program just because it looks full right now.
Also — don't forget to actually lock your choices before the deadline. If you don't, whatever you last saved gets locked automatically once time runs out, so it's better to do it yourself and be sure.
Key Dates to Note
| Special Round Activity | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Display of vacancies after JoSAA | July 28, 2026 | — |
| Registration & fee payment | July 28, 2026 | August 3, 2026 |
| Choice filling | July 28, 2026 | August 5, 2026 |
| Round 1 seat allotment | August 6, 2026 | — |
| Exercising willingness & online reporting | August 6, 2026 | August 10, 2026 |
| Response to Document Verifying Officer queries | August 11, 2026 | — |
| Physical reporting at institute | August 13, 2026 | August 18, 2026 |
After You Get a Seat
Once allotted, you'll pick one of three options — Freeze if you're happy with it, Float if you want a shot at something better in the next round, or Slide if you'd rather switch courses within the same institute. Whatever you choose, you'll still need to complete online reporting: download your Provisional Admission Letter, upload the required documents, and pay IAF-II before heading to your allotted institute for physical verification.
A quick note on documents — keep your JEE Main admit card, Class X certificate, qualifying exam marksheet, category certificate (if applicable), and a passport photo matching your JEE Main application ready well in advance, so verification doesn't hold you up.