JoSAA 2026 Round 5, announced on July 16, 2026, was the final seat allotment round for all 23 IITs — an estimated 60 to 150 IIT seats are expected to remain permanently vacant for the 2026-27 academic year.
Unlike NITs and IIITs, which move to CSAB special rounds after JoSAA concludes, IITs do not participate in CSAB. Any seat that goes unfilled after JoSAA Round 5 is not re-offered through any subsequent process. With JoSAA 2026 running only 5 rounds — compared to 6 in 2025 — the total vacancy count is expected to be slightly higher than the approximately 40-50 seats that remained unfilled after JoSAA 2025 Round 6.
- JoSAA 2026 conducted 5 rounds of IIT seat allotment — one fewer than JoSAA 2025.
- Round 5 on July 16, 2026 was the final round for IIT admissions in 2026; there is no Round 6 for IITs.
- Withdrawal facility closed on July 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM IST.
- Total IIT seats across 23 IITs in JoSAA 2026: 18,826.
- Expected seats remaining vacant after Round 5: 60-150 (based on JoSAA 2025 trends).
- Vacant IIT seats do not transfer to CSAB — they are permanently unfilled for 2026-27.
- Students without an IIT seat can participate in CSAB special rounds for NITs and IIITs.
| Direct Link to JoSAA 2026 Round 5 Seat Allotment Result — josaa.nic.in (OUT) |
JoSAA 2026 Round 5 — Final IIT Seat Allotment Details
JoSAA 2026 was structured around 5 allotment rounds, one fewer than JoSAA 2025 which had 6 rounds. Round 5 on July 16, 2026 was the final round for IIT seat allotment — there is no Round 6 for IITs in 2026. The reduction from 6 to 5 rounds means students who might have received an upgrade or fresh allotment in a hypothetical Round 6 did not get that opportunity, making the expected vacancy count of 60-150 seats slightly higher than the approximately 40-50 seats that remained after JoSAA 2025.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total IIT Seats (JoSAA 2026) | 18,826 across 23 IITs |
| Total JoSAA 2026 Rounds | 5 rounds (Round 1 to Round 5) |
| Final IIT Allotment Round | Round 5 — July 16, 2026 |
| Withdrawal Facility Closed | July 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM IST |
| Expected Seats Remaining Vacant | 60-150 seats (based on JoSAA 2025 trends) |
| Are Vacant IIT Seats Offered in CSAB? | No — IITs do not participate in CSAB |
| Outcome for Vacant IIT Seats | Permanently unfilled for 2026-27 academic year |
| Official Portal | josaa.nic.in |
Category-Wise Remaining IIT Seats After Round 5
Seat vacancies after Round 5 are not evenly spread across categories. ST and PwD categories account for a proportionally higher share of remaining vacancies because the eligible qualified student pool in those categories is smaller. Open and OBC-NCL seats fill faster given larger applicant bases. The figures below are expected estimates based on JoSAA 2025 patterns and should be verified on josaa.nic.in once the official Round 5 data is published.
| Category | Expected Vacant Seats After Round 5 | Trend Observation |
|---|---|---|
| Open (General) | 5-15 | Very few; popular branches fill fully by Round 5 |
| EWS | 5-12 | Minor vacancy at newer IITs in Civil and Mining |
| OBC-NCL | 10-20 | Some Civil and Metallurgy seats at newer IITs |
| SC | 12-25 | Higher vacancy in newer IITs and less-preferred branches |
| ST | 15-35 | Proportionally highest vacancy; eligible applicant pool is smaller |
| PwD (all sub-categories) | 8-20 | Proportionally high; spread across branches and IITs |
| Total (expected) | 60-150 seats (approx) | Based on JoSAA 2025 trends; actual data on josaa.nic.in |
Branch-Wise IIT Vacancy Trends After Round 5
CSE, ECE and Mathematics and Computing fill almost completely by Round 3 or Round 4, leaving near-zero vacancy after Round 5 even at newer IITs. In contrast, Civil Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering and Mining Engineering at newer IITs consistently carry the most vacancies after the final round. The table below reflects expected trends based on JoSAA 2025 patterns.
| Branch | Expected Vacancy After Round 5 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) | Near zero (0-2 seats) | Fills fully by Round 3 at all IITs; expected |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) | Near zero (0-3 seats) | High demand; fills fully by Round 4; expected |
| Mathematics and Computing | Near zero (0-2 seats) | Extremely competitive; negligible vacancy expected |
| Electrical Engineering (EE) | Low (2-8 seats) | Small vacancy possible at select newer IITs; expected |
| Mechanical Engineering | Low to moderate (5-15 seats) | Vacancy at newer IITs in SC/ST/PwD categories; expected |
| Chemical Engineering | Moderate (8-20 seats) | Less preferred; vacancy at newer IITs across categories; expected |
| Civil Engineering | High (15-35 seats) | Highest vacancy trend; concentrated at newer IITs; expected |
| Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | High (12-30 seats) | Consistently low demand after final round; expected |
| Mining Engineering | High (10-25 seats) | Among lowest-demand branches; most vacancy in SC/ST categories; expected |
IITs With Most Vacant Seats After Round 5
Newer IITs established after 2008 consistently account for most unfilled seats after the final JoSAA round. Established IITs such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur see virtually no vacancies after Round 5. The estimates below are based on JoSAA 2025 trends and represent expected ranges for JoSAA 2026.
| IIT | Expected Vacant Seats After Round 5 | Most Affected Branches |
|---|---|---|
| IIT Jammu | 20-30 | Civil, Chemical, Metallurgy (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Dharwad | 15-25 | Civil, Mechanical (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Bhilai | 15-25 | Civil, Electrical (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Tirupati | 10-20 | Civil, Chemical (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Palakkad | 10-20 | Civil, Mechanical (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Goa | 8-15 | Civil, Sciences (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Mandi | 5-12 | Civil, Chemical (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 5-10 | Mining, Metallurgy (expected; JoSAA 2025 trend) |
| IIT Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Guwahati | 0-2 each | Negligible; all branches fill near completely by Round 5 |
What Students Without an IIT Seat Can Do Now
Students who did not secure an IIT seat through any of the 5 JoSAA 2026 rounds have several options. Since IIT seats are permanently closed after Round 5, the focus should now shift to available alternatives.
- CSAB Special Rounds: The Central Seat Allocation Board conducts special rounds for NITs, IIITs and Other Technical Institutions after JoSAA closes. Students registered for JoSAA are eligible to participate. CSAB special rounds are expected in late July and early August 2026.
- State-Level Counselling: Most states conduct separate counselling for state government engineering colleges. Students should check state counselling deadlines, many of which run parallel to CSAB timelines in July and August 2026.
- JEE Advanced 2027 Re-attempt: Students within the age limit and attempt count can appear for JEE Advanced 2027. A focused preparation strategy after this cycle may result in a better rank and IIT seat next year.
- Private University Admissions: Several top private engineering universities accept JEE Main scores directly. Students can explore these options through respective admission portals before deadlines close.
| Option | Process | Expected Timeline (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| CSAB Special Round 1 | Register and fill choices on csab.nic.in | Late July 2026 |
| CSAB Special Round 2 | Second round if seats remain after Round 1 | Early August 2026 |
| State Counselling | Check respective state authority portal | July-August 2026 (varies by state) |
| JEE Advanced 2027 | Qualify JEE Main 2027 first; then appear for JEE Advanced 2027 | Registration opens approximately January 2027 |
JEE Advanced 2026 Remaining IIT Seats FAQs
Ques. How many IIT seats are expected to remain vacant after JoSAA 2026 Round 5?
Ans. Based on JoSAA 2025 trends and the fact that JoSAA 2026 ran only 5 rounds instead of 6, an estimated 60 to 150 IIT seats are expected to remain vacant after Round 5. The exact figure will be available on josaa.nic.in once official Round 5 data is published. This is slightly higher than the approximately 40-50 seats that were vacant after JoSAA 2025.
Ques. Is Round 5 the final round for IIT seat allotment in JoSAA 2026?
Ans. Yes. Round 5, conducted on July 16, 2026, is the final IIT allotment round in JoSAA 2026. Unlike 2025 which had 6 rounds, JoSAA 2026 was structured with only 5 rounds. There is no Round 6 for IITs in 2026. Any seat not filled by the end of Round 5 remains permanently vacant for the 2026-27 academic year.
Ques. Do vacant IIT seats after Round 5 go to CSAB?
Ans. No. IITs do not participate in CSAB. CSAB conducts special rounds only for NITs, IIITs and Other Technical Institutions. Vacant IIT seats after JoSAA Round 5 are not re-offered through any subsequent process — they are permanently unfilled for the 2026-27 academic year.
Ques. Which branches and IITs have the most vacant seats after Round 5?
Ans. Based on JoSAA 2025 trends, Civil Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering and Mining Engineering at newer IITs account for the most vacancies after Round 5. Among institutes, IIT Jammu, IIT Dharwad and IIT Bhilai are expected to have the highest number of unfilled seats. CSE, ECE and Mathematics and Computing branches fill near completely at all IITs before Round 5. These are expected figures; actual data will be published on josaa.nic.in.
Ques. Can I still get an NIT or IIIT seat after JoSAA 2026 Round 5?
Ans. Yes. Students who participated in JoSAA 2026 and did not receive an IIT seat can participate in CSAB Special Rounds, which offer vacant NIT, IIIT and OTI seats after JoSAA closes. CSAB special rounds are expected in late July and early August 2026. State counselling processes for state government colleges are also available in parallel.
Ques. Where can I find official data on vacant IIT seats after Round 5?
Ans. Official data on remaining IIT seats after JoSAA 2026 Round 5 will be published on the JoSAA official portal at josaa.nic.in. Students can access the seat matrix, allotment results and round-wise vacancy details there. For JEE Advanced specific information, the official site is jeeadv.ac.in.
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