JEE Main Counselling 2025, JoSAA vs CSAB Counselling, Eligibility

JEE Mains Counselling 2025: JEE Main Counselling is a central admission process conducted for students who qualify in JEE Main 2025. Through this process, students get seats in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. The JEE Main Counselling Process includes several steps. such as registration, choice filling, mock seat allotments, actual seat allotments, and document verification.

JoSAA conducts the main rounds of the JEE Main counselling. It manages admissions to IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. After JoSAA’s rounds, CSAB takes over by conducting special rounds to fill the remaining vacant seats. These are only for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. It aims to give students another chance to get seats in the course and college they prefer. Seat allotment depends on the student's JEE Main 2025 Rank, category, and eligibility.

The Joint Entrance Examination Main is a national-level entrance test. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the JEE Main exam every year for admission to engineering and architecture courses. Through JEE Main 2025, candidates can get admission into top colleges. These include National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs). Scoring well in JEE Main is just the first step. The counselling process that follows is equally important. It helps students secure a seat in their preferred college. Continue reading to know more about the JEE Main Counselling 2025.

JEE Main Counselling Process 2025 Highlights

Check out the following points for major highlights regarding JEE Main Counselling 2025. They are as given below-

• Online Registration and Choice Filling: Students must register online. Then, they need to fill in their preferred courses and colleges carefully.
• Mock Seat Allotment: JoSAA conducts mock allotments. These give an idea of which seat a student may get. This helps students make better choices.
• Round-wise Seat Allotment: Seats are allotted in multiple rounds. This is based on the student’s rank, choices, and available seats.
• Seat Acceptance and Document Verification: Students who get a seat must accept it. They need to pay the seat acceptance fee. They must also upload documents online for verification.

JEE Mains Counselling 2025 Important Dates

The JEE Mains Counselling 2025 is conducted in two phases namely, JoSAA Counselling and CSAB Counselling 2025. Students must follow the timeline carefully to avoid missing any important step. Please check the official websites regularly for updates. Check out the following tables for JoSAA Counselling and CSAB Counselling Schedules.

JoSAA Counselling 2025 Schedule

The JoSAA Counselling Process starts soon after the JEE Advanced 2025 Results. Students must register and fill their choices online within the given dates. Here is the detailed schedule:

CSAB Counselling 2025 Schedule

After JoSAA completes its rounds, CSAB conducts special counselling to fill remaining vacant seats. This is mainly for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Here are the important dates of CSAB Counselling 2025:

What is JoSAA Counselling 2025?

JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) Counselling is the primary counselling process for admission to 118 institutes, including 23 IITs, 31 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 38 GFTIs. Its purpose is to provide a single platform for candidates to apply for admission to these premier engineering and architecture institutes based on their JEE Main 2025 and JEE Advanced 2025 Ranks.

Check JoSAA Counselling 2025

JoSAA Counselling Process 2025

The JoSAA counselling process is conducted entirely online and typically involves the following steps:

1. Registration and choice filling: Candidates must register on the official JoSAA portal using their JEE Main application number and password. They then fill their choices of academic programs and institutes in order of preference.
2. Mock seat allotment: Two rounds of mock seat allotment are conducted to help candidates understand the probable seat allocation based on their filled choices and ranks. This allows them to adjust their preferences if needed.
3. Final choice locking: After the mock allotments, candidates must lock their final choices by the specified deadline. Once locked, choices cannot be changed. If not locked, the last saved choices are automatically locked.
4. Round-wise seat allotment and online reporting: JoSAA conducts multiple rounds of seat allotment. In each round, candidates are allotted seats based on their rank, choices, and category. Those who are allotted a seat must then choose one of the options (Freeze, Float, Slide, or Withdraw), pay the seat acceptance fee, and upload the required documents online.

JoSAA Counselling 2025 Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for JoSAA Counselling 2025, candidates must:

• Have a valid JEE Main 2025 rank.
• Have passed their Class 12 (or equivalent) examination with at least five subjects.
• For B.E./B.Tech courses, Physics and Mathematics are compulsory subjects, along with one of Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational Subjects.
• For B.Arch and B.Plan, special criteria may apply, including specific subject requirements and qualifying the Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT) for IIT B.Arch admissions. General category candidates must have scored a minimum of 75% marks in their 12th board exams or be in the top 20 percentile of their respective boards. For SC/ST candidates, the minimum aggregate is 65%.

What is CSAB Counselling 2025?

CSAB (Central Seat Allocation Board) Counselling is conducted to fill the seats that remain vacant after the completion of all JoSAA rounds. It aims to provide another opportunity for candidates to secure admission into NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. CSAB conducts various types of counselling:

• CSAB Special Rounds: These are conducted for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs for any remaining vacant seats after JoSAA.
• CSAB NEUT: For supernumerary seats in NITs and some AICTE-approved institutes for North East and Union Territories (NEUT) candidates.
• CSAB SFTI: For admissions to Self-Financed Technical Institutes.
• CSAB Supernumerary: Specific rounds for certain Union Territories.

CSAB Counselling Process 2025

The CSAB Counselling Process 2025 includes the following process. They are as given below-

• Eligible Candidates: Candidates who participated in JEE Main 2025, those who did not get a seat in JoSAA, those who wish to upgrade their JoSAA-allotted seat, or even those who did not participate in JoSAA can apply for CSAB counselling.
• Registration steps: Similar to JoSAA, candidates must register online on the CSAB portal. They need to pay a registration fee and fill fresh choices, as choices filled during JoSAA rounds are not considered for CSAB.
• Seat allotment and document verification: Seats are allotted in rounds based on JEE Main AIR, choices, and category. Selected candidates must accept the seat, pay the fee, and complete document verification.

CSAB Counselling 2025 Eligibility Criteria

Check out the following points for CSAB Counselling 2025 Eligibility Criteria. They are as given below-

• Candidates must have a valid JEE Main 2025 score.
• Candidates who were eligible for JoSAA counselling but did not secure a seat, or those who surrendered their JoSAA-allotted seat, can participate.
• Minimum marks in Class 12 examination typically follow the JEE Main eligibility criteria (e.g., 75% for General, 65% for SC/ST or top 20 percentile).

JoSAA Counselling 2025 vs CSAB Counselling 2025

JoSAA counselling is the initial and primary phase for seat allocation to IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. It involves multiple rounds and aims to fill the majority of seats. CSAB counselling, on the other hand, is a subsequent process, often referred to as "special rounds," conducted specifically to fill any remaining vacant seats in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs after JoSAA rounds are complete. This means candidates who missed JoSAA or were not allotted a seat there can still get a chance through CSAB.

Key Differences between JoSAA and CSAB Counselling

Check out the table below for the major difference between the JoSAA Counselling and CSAB Counselling 2025.

Seat Allotment in JEE Mains Counselling 2025

Seat allotment in JEE Mains Counselling 2025 is primarily based on three factors:

1. JEE Main AIR: Candidates with higher ranks are given preference.
2. Category: Reservations for various categories (GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD) are applied as per government norms.
3. Filled Choices: The order of preferences filled by the candidate plays a crucial role. The system tries to allocate the highest possible preferred choice available for the candidate's rank and category.

Importance of Choice Filling Order in JEE Main Counselling 2025

The order in which candidates fill their choices is important. It is highly recommended to research thoroughly and list preferences in proper order, placing the most desired course and institute at the top. A well-thought-out choice filling strategy can significantly impact the final seat allocation through the JEE Main Counselling 2025.

JEE Main Counselling 2025 Seat Acceptance and Fee Payment

Once a seat is allotted, candidates must pay the JEE Main Counselling Fees and upload required documents within the stipulated time. This involves:

• Payment procedure: Candidates need to pay the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) online. This fee varies for different categories (e.g., INR 20,000 for SC/ST/PwD and INR 45,000 for General/OBC-NCL/GEN-EWS).
• Uploading documents online: Candidates must upload the scanned copies of all required documents as specified by JoSAA/CSAB. These documents will be verified by the authorities.

Documents Required for JEE Main Counselling 2025

Candidates must keep the following documents ready for JEE Mains Counselling 2025. It is advisable to have both original documents and multiple photocopies, along with scanned copies for online submission:

• JEE Main Admit Card 2025
• JEE Main Scorecard 2025
• Provisional Seat Allotment Letter
• Class 10 Mark Sheet (as proof of Date of Birth)
• Class 12 Mark Sheet and Passing Certificate
• Category Certificate (OBC-NCL/SC/ST/GEN-EWS, if applicable) issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format.
• PwD Certificate (if applicable)
• Medical Certificate (as per JoSAA/CSAB format)
• Domicile Certificate (if applicable)
• Passport-size Photographs (matching the one uploaded during application)
• Photo ID proof (Aadhar Card, Passport, School ID, etc.)
• Proof of fee payment (for seat acceptance)
• Bank passbook copy for refund purposes (candidate's or parent's)
• Undertaking by the candidate (if required by the institute)

Key Points for JEE Mains Counselling and Seat Allocation

Check out the following points for JEE Main Counselling and Seat Allocation. They are as given below-

• Importance of rank and document verification: A good JEE Main rank is essential, but proper document verification is equally critical. Discrepancies can lead to disqualification.
• Disqualification conditions: Candidates can be disqualified if they:
  • Fail to meet the eligibility criteria.
  • Provide false information or forged documents.
  • Fail to pay the fees or upload documents within deadlines.
  • Fail to report to the allotted institute for final admission within the specified timeframe.
• Certificate formats and verification requirements: Ensure all certificates, especially category and PwD certificates, are in the prescribed format issued by the competent authority. These will undergo stringent verification.

JEE Mains Counselling 2025 FAQs