The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2026 counselling process is entering its final stretch for IIT and IISc admissions, with Round 5 set to conclude on July 21, 2026. Candidates allotted seats in this round need to keep a close eye on the fee payment and query resolution deadlines to avoid missing out.
Fee payment and query resolution timeline
Candidates had until 5:00 PM on Monday, July 20, 2026, to complete their Round 5 fee payment. Following this, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, by 5:00 PM, is set aside for resolving any fee payment issues and responding to outstanding queries related to Round 5. This is also the day the FINAL round of seat allocation for IITs and IISc officially ends.
What this means for IIT/IISc aspirants
With Round 5 marking the end of the seat allocation process for IITs and IISc, candidates who haven’t completed their fee payment or resolved pending queries by the July 21 deadline risk losing their allotted seat. There is no indication of a further round for these institutes after this.
Separate timeline for NIT+ system candidates
Candidates under the NIT+ system (which includes NITs, IIITs, and other GFTIs) have a distinct process running in parallel:
- Withdrawal of seat initiation: July 16 to July 20, 2026, until 5:00 PM IST
- Withdrawal query response window: July 17 to July 21, 2026, until 5:00 PM IST
Candidates wanting to withdraw their allotted seat under Round 5 in the NIT+ system need to act within these windows, as the query response period closes on the same date as the IIT/IISc final round.
Key takeaway for candidates
Both timelines converge on July 21, 2026 – making it a critical date for candidates across the JoSAA counselling ecosystem, whether they’re locking in an IIT/IISc seat or managing a withdrawal under the NIT+ system.
