JoSAA Counselling for Foreign Nationals, OCI, and PIO Candidates: A Comprehensive Guide

More than 15.4 lakh candidates applied for JEE Main 2025, one of the biggest engineering entrance exams in the world. Of these, nearly 14.75 lakh took the test across several sessions. Of these, 2.5 lakh students qualified for JEE Advanced 2025, which had 1.87 lakh applications and 1.8 lakh people who took the test. In the end, 54,378 students made it through for IIT admissions — a success rate of almost 30%, reflecting the extremely high level of competition. These two-level exams — JEE Main and JEE Advanced — are the major avenues to India's best engineering colleges, namely 23 IITs, 32 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 38 GFTIs, with a total of more than 59,917 seats through the centralised JoSAA Counselling 2025.

Even though the majority of participants are Indian nationals, the JoSAA portal also facilitates admissions for Foreign Nationals, Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) through DASA and other special schemes. Such candidates have a different admission process and are given supernumerary or DASA seats, based on the institution. In this article, the complete picture of how these candidates can apply to the JoSAA counselling process, eligibility conditions, and considerations required for getting admission in top Indian institutes through the JEE Main and JEE Advanced channels will be described.

JoSAA Counselling: What is it?

JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) is the authoritative organisation to carry out centralised counselling for admission to more than 62,000 undergraduate engineering seats in 121 top technical institutions of India. These institutions comprise the IITs, NITs, IIITs, and Government-Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs). In 2025, around 15.4 lakh students registered for JEE Main, and around 14.75 lakh appeared in both sessions. Out of these, nearly 2.5 lakh candidates appeared for JEE Advanced 2025, and 54,378 candidates cleared it successfully.

JoSAA counselling starts shortly after the release of JEE Main results. Seats are filled in multiple rounds depending on candidate rank, category, and order of preferences. JoSAA also provides admission for foreign nationals, OCIs, and PIOs under prescribed eligibility criteria. The process is instrumental in final seat allocation to India's best technical courses in a fair and merit-based way.

JoSAA Counselling: Eligibility of Foreign Nationals, OCI, and PIO Candidates

The procedure of application and eligibility criteria for foreign nationals, OCI, and PIO candidates are different from those of Indian nationals to a small extent. Here are the major points:

• Foreign Nationals who are not Indian citizens, but wish to seek admission in iit institute in India or other uni government or private institutions based on the JEE exam route, can apply based on their performance in the JEE Main exam and JEE Advanced (as and when applicable).
• OCI and PIO candidates enjoy a special status. They can provide their jee main and jee advanced exams on the same grounds as Indian nationals but are required to adopt a different application process for admission counseling.
• These candidates should have cleared the JEE Main exam or JEE Advanced to be eligible for admission in IITs or institutes through JoSAA counselling.

According to the recent statistics, foreign nationals, OCI, and PIO aspirants have taken around 5-7% of all of the IIT admissions in the last five years through the JoSAA route, highlighting the growing world popularity of the iit jee system.

Check: JoSAA Counselling 2025 Application Form

JoSAA Counselling: The Admission Process for Foreign Nationals, OCI, and PIO Candidates

Step 1: Appear in the JEE Main Exam

The first step for all the candidates, both foreign nationals, OCI, and PIO candidates, is to appear for the jee main exam. The JEE Main is the first entrance test that screens candidates for admission into the private and government-sponsored schools of engineering.

Foreign applicants need to submit separate applications on the website of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and attach documents of nationality along with their educational documents. They need to meet the minimum eligibility criteria, including passing marks in 10+2 or equivalent exams. In 2025, over 14 lakh students applied for the jee main exam, and foreign nationals contributed around 1.5% of the total applicants.

Step 2: Qualify for the JEE Advanced (For IIT Admissions)

The candidates who clear the cutoff in the JEE Main exam qualify to appear in the JEE Advanced exam. Admission into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) only depends on the merit list, which is prepared after the JEE Advanced results.

Foreign nationals and OCI/PIO applicants, upon eligibility, must apply for jee advanced and obtain a ranking that qualifies them for counselling admission.

Step 3: Registration for JoSAA Counselling

Upon declaration of the results of JEE Main and JEE Advanced, candidates must register themselves for JoSAA counselling. Foreign nationals and OCI/PIO students must arrange for the counselling to be registered on the official JoSAA website within the provided time.

At this stage, the candidates provide their preference for institutes and courses, such as those in IIT JEE-affiliated institutions, NITs, IIITs, and other private colleges that are joining JoSAA.

Step 4: Seat Allocation and Reporting

JoSAA allots seats from the rank and preferences given by the candidates. Candidates need to pay the seat acceptance fee and go through document verification upon seat allotment.

Foreign nationals, OCI, and PIO applicants may have some extra documents like evidence of their citizenship status, OCI/PIO card, and equivalence certificates for their qualification.

Once seat allotment is complete, the candidates must report to the institute allocated within the given dates to complete admission formalities.

Read: Documents Required for JoSAA Counselling 2025

JoSAA Counselling: Important Points for Foreign Nationals, OCI, and PIO Candidates

Admission processing as a foreign national, OCI, or PIO applicant has some rules and regulations. Familiarising yourself with the key points will help you prepare better and avoid common errors during admission.

1. Application Timeline and Deadlines

OCI/PIO candidates and foreign nationals should be aware that the timeline for the JEE exam, counselling during admission, and seat acceptance is strict. Failing to comply with deadlines at the last minute may result in the cancellation of candidature.

2. Fees and Financial Implications

Unlike Indian citizens, foreign nationals may have different fee plans in private and government institutions. The IIT institute in India may charge foreign nationals higher fees, including tuition fees, hostel fees, and others. Ask for institute-specific fee details during JoSAA counselling.

3. Language Proficiency and Other Eligibility Criteria

Most of the institutes require proof of English proficiency since they conduct classes using the English language as a medium of instruction. Foreign nationals are also required to apply for a visa and immigration clearance necessary to pursue studies in India. Restricted Seats for Foreign Nationals and OCI/PIO

4. Limited Seats for Foreign Nationals and OCI/PIO

The seats reserved or available to foreign nationals and OCI/PIO candidates can be fewer than those for Indian candidates. Nevertheless, the JoSAA counselling portal brings together these categories and simplifies participating in the centralized seat allocation process.

JoSAA Counselling: Advantages of Joining IITs and Top Institutes

Admission through JoSAA results in world-class education at India's iit institute and other high-ranked colleges. From cutting-edge courses to transparent admission processes and worldwide recognition, benefits are massive.

• Access to High-Quality Education: The IIT institute in India and other best engineering colleges provide world-class education, research facilities, and global networking opportunities.
• Fair and Transparent Process: The joint entrance exam and JoSAA counselling process ensure merit-based and transparent admissions.
• Large Course Offering: From traditional engineering courses to new courses in areas like AI, data science, and robotics, the student has a choice of courses based on career goals.
• Recognition: IIT degrees and other participating JoSAA institute degrees are widely recognised around the world, opening up international career prospects.

Wrapping Up

As a foreign national, OCI, or PIO candidate, to navigate the process of JoSAA counselling is to accomplish with strict planning, timely intervention, and a clear grasp of the eligibility and procedural aspects. The joint entrance exam system, which includes the JEE Main exam and JEE Advanced, forms the foundation of achieving admission in the IIT institutes in India and other eminent private and government institutes.

By preparing diligently for the jee exam, understanding the nuances of admission guidance, and meeting all paper and fee requirements, foreign nationals, OCI, and PIO applicants can become part of the cream of India's engineering institutes and start a promising career and learning process.