Central Seat Allocation Board • Conducted by Central Seat Allocation Board (Rotational NIT under Ministry of Education)
Step-by-Step Registration, Fee Structure, and Document Requirements
"Applying" for CSAB means registering afresh for its Special Round counselling on csab.nic.in, regardless of whether you previously participated in JoSAA. There is no separate "exam application" — this is purely a counselling registration process.
• Step 1 - Check Eligibility: Confirm you hold a valid, JoSAA-eligible JEE Main rank and meet the Class 12 academic eligibility criteria before starting registration.
• Step 2 - Fresh Online Registration: Register on the official CSAB portal using your JEE Main application number and personal details, even if you registered for JoSAA earlier in the cycle.
• Step 3 - Fill Personal, Academic, and Category Details: Enter/confirm details exactly as per your JEE Main application and Class 12 records to avoid verification mismatches later.
• Step 4 - Pay the Special Round Enrolment Fee (SREF): Pay the applicable registration-cum-processing fee online via the accepted payment modes.
• Step 5 - Fill and Lock Choices: Build a fresh ranked preference list of institute-branch combinations drawn from the published vacant-seat matrix, then lock the list before the deadline.
| Fee Component | General/OBC-NCL/EWS (Approx.) | SC/ST/PwD (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Special Round Enrolment Fee (includes processing fee + first admission fee installment) | ₹40,000 - ₹44,000 | ₹19,000 - ₹24,000 |
| Institute Admission Fee - II (paid after first seat allotment) | ₹35,000 | ₹16,000 |
| Candidates Who Already Paid Full Fees in JoSAA | Only ₹5,000 processing fee | Only ₹5,000 processing fee |
Exact fee amounts are revised periodically by CSAB and should always be verified against the current year's official information brochure on csab.nic.in before payment, since figures reported by third-party aggregators can vary slightly across sources and years.
JEE Main scorecard/rank card; Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and certificates; category certificate (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS, if applicable); PwD certificate (if applicable); a valid photo ID; and, for candidates who participated in JoSAA, their JoSAA allotment/status letter if a seat was previously allotted.
A short correction window may be available for minor detail corrections before final choice locking; however, once choices are locked ahead of each round's processing deadline, they generally cannot be edited for that specific round.
If a candidate withdraws from CSAB after paying fees but before final reporting, a partial refund is generally processed after deducting a fixed non-refundable processing charge (commonly around ₹6,000 as per recent cycles). If a seat is cancelled due to ineligibility discovered during document verification, a similar deduction-based refund policy typically applies. Always check the exact refund schedule and deadlines published in that year's official CSAB brochure.
,Entering category or personal details that do not exactly match JEE Main/board records; missing the choice-locking deadline after filling preferences; assuming JoSAA fee payments automatically cover the full CSAB fee without checking the reduced-fee eligibility criteria; and delaying registration until the last day, risking technical glitches during high-traffic periods.
Finally, keep your registered email and mobile number active throughout the CSAB cycle, since round-by-round allotment notifications, payment reminders, and reporting instructions are communicated primarily through these channels with very short response windows.
Since most CSAB candidates are recent Class 12 graduates who may still be minors, many institutes recommend completing registration and fee payment with a parent or guardian present, given the financial commitment involved and the need for accurate document handling throughout the process.
Also verify your bank's per-transaction online payment limit before attempting fee payment, since the CSAB enrolment fee amounts (₹19,000-₹44,000 range) exceed the default transaction limits on some debit cards, requiring a temporary limit increase through your bank beforehand.
No, candidates who already paid the full Seat Acceptance Fee and Provisional Admission Fee during JoSAA typically only need to pay a reduced processing fee for CSAB.
Yes, fresh candidates with a valid JoSAA-eligible JEE Main rank can register directly for CSAB Special Rounds.
Unlocked or unsubmitted choice lists are not considered for that round's seat allotment, so locking before the deadline is mandatory.
Revise chapter-wise mathematical formulas before launching your test: