JoSAA 2025 opening and closing ranks: Expected cutoffs, rounds and rank relaxation for IITs, NITs, IIITs, GFTIs

JoSAA 2025 opening and closing ranks with counselling expected to start in June 2026. Round-wise cutoffs, percentile expectations and branch-level closing rank ranges for IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.

Edited by Manish Patel

Updated April 3, 2026 3:30 AM

    JoSAA 2025 opening and closing ranks — round-wise cutoffs and what to expect

    JoSAA counselling is expected to start in June 2026 , with 6 counselling rounds scheduled online at josaa.nic.in . This note summarises JoSAA 2025 opening and closing ranks, percentile expectations and where rank relaxation usually shows up across rounds.

    JoSAA 2025 opening and closing ranks: Round‑wise percentile expectations

    Round 1 percentiles for broad categories are expected as follows (based on official trends and JoSAA patterns):

    Category Round 1 percentile (expected)
    General 93.5 – 95
    EWS / OBC‑NCL 80 – 90
    SC / ST 48 – 64

    Seat allocation is done on the basis of JEE Main rank and JEE Advanced rank as applicable. Cutoffs (opening and closing ranks) will be released online on josaa.nic.in after each round.

    JoSAA 2025 opening and closing ranks: Cutoff ranges by branch and institute type

    Expected closing rank ranges across rounds vary a lot by branch and institute type. Below are commonly observed ranges used by counsellors and previous JoSAA trends:

    Institute type / Branch Typical closing rank range (across rounds)
    Top IITs — CSE/IT 1 – 100 (Round 1) ; expands modestly by Round 6
    Top IITs — other core 24 – 500 (Round 1) ; widens later
    Top NITs — CSE 1,262 – 3,900 (example: NIT Trichy R1–R6)
    Top NITs — other branches 1,500 – 5,600+ (examples: Surathkal, Warangal)
    IIITs — top CSE < 500 (Round 1) ; other IIITs 5,000 – 15,000
    GFTIs — top courses 10,000 – 40,000+

    Branch groups: CS/IT often close within 1,500 – 5,000 ranks; ECE/Electrical 5,000 – 28,000 ; Civil/Mechanical 15,000 – 70,000 depending on institute and category.

    Rank relaxation and round dynamics

    JoSAA does not officially declare “rank relaxation.” What you see is an informal relaxation: closing ranks increase each round as candidates upgrade, withdraw or vacate seats. The maximum cutoff expansion usually happens in Round 5 and Round 6 .

    Participating institutes include IITs, NITs, IIITs, IIEST and GFTIs. Reservation categories such as OBC‑NCL, EWS, SC, ST and PwD are applied during seat allocation.

    Article updated: Apr 1, 2026 .

    FAQs

    What is rank relaxation in JoSAA counselling?

    Rank relaxation is the observed increase in closing ranks across rounds, allowing lower‑rank candidates to get seats in later rounds. It is not an official policy term.

    Does JoSAA cutoff decrease in every round?

    No. Cutoffs generally expand to higher ranks each round due to withdrawals, upgrades and seat reallocation.

    Which JoSAA rounds show maximum rank relaxation?

    Round 5 and Round 6 usually show the largest expansion in closing ranks.

    Do opening ranks change across rounds?

    Opening ranks are mostly stable but can shift slightly in later rounds, especially for less competitive branches.

    On what basis are seats allocated?

    Seat allocation is based on JEE Main and JEE Advanced ranks (as applicable) and the JoSAA online counselling process.

    Where will official opening and closing ranks be published?

    Official round‑wise opening and closing ranks will be published online at josaa.nic.in after each counselling round.

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