JoSAA Round 6 closing ranks for CSE at top NITs tightened by 200–600 ranks in 2025 over 2024, and expected 2026 cutoffs are projected to compress a further 3–7% — students with an All India Rank below 10,000 remain competitive for most top-NIT CSE seats.
With JEE Main 2026 results declared, JoSAA 2026 counselling is the next step for students targeting NITs and IIITs. Knowing how closing ranks shifted between 2024 and 2025 helps you shortlist colleges realistically and fill choices with confidence. This article compares official JoSAA Round 6 closing ranks for 2024 and 2025 and presents expected 2026 cutoffs based on those trends.
- JoSAA allocates seats across 31 NITs and 26 IIITs using JEE Main and JEE Advanced scores.
- IIIT Hyderabad CSE had the tightest closing rank among all IIITs in 2025 at approximately 2,102 — more competitive than NIT Trichy CSE in the same year.
- Students must check both Home State (HS) and Other State (OS) closing ranks; HS quota closing ranks are typically higher (less competitive) for the same institute.
- Category-wise closing ranks (OBC-NCL, SC, ST, EWS) allow students from reserved categories to secure admission at a higher JEE Main rank threshold than the General closing rank.
- All 2026 cutoff figures in this article are expected estimates based on 2024 and 2025 trends; actual cutoffs will be declared after JoSAA 2026 counselling concludes.
| Direct Link to JoSAA 2026 Official Website (ACTIVE) — josaa.nic.in |
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Table of Contents |
JoSAA Cutoff: What Closing Rank Means
The JoSAA cutoff is the All India Rank of the last student allotted a seat in a given institute, programme, and category in the final round of counselling (Round 6). A smaller closing rank number means higher competition — only students ranked at or above this number secured admission through that quota and category.
Two important distinctions every student must understand before reading the tables below:
- Home State (HS) quota: Reserved for students who completed Class 12 from the state where the NIT is located. HS closing ranks are generally higher (weaker) than Other State closing ranks because fewer all-India students compete.
- Other State (OS) quota: Open to students from all other states. OS closing ranks are typically tighter due to nationwide competition, and the tables in this article use OS quota figures unless noted.
- Category-wise ranks: JoSAA uses a candidate’s category-specific rank (within the OBC-NCL, SC, ST, or EWS pool) to fill reserved seats. Students from these categories should compare their category rank — not their CRL — against the figures in the category table below.
NIT CSE Closing Rank Comparison: 2024 vs 2025
The table below shows JoSAA Round 6 closing ranks for BTech Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at top NITs for the General (Open) category, Other State quota. Figures are from official JoSAA data for both years.
| NIT Institute | 2024 Closing Rank (OS, General) | 2025 Closing Rank (OS, General) | Year-on-Year Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | 4,621 | 4,289 | −332 (tighter) |
| NIT Warangal | 5,834 | 5,502 | −332 (tighter) |
| NIT Surathkal (NITK) | 6,102 | 5,874 | −228 (tighter) |
| NIT Calicut | 7,543 | 7,108 | −435 (tighter) |
| NIT Allahabad (MNNIT) | 10,234 | 9,788 | −446 (tighter) |
| NIT Rourkela | 9,012 | 8,634 | −378 (tighter) |
| NIT Delhi | 9,456 | 9,123 | −333 (tighter) |
| MNIT Jaipur | 11,023 | 10,512 | −511 (tighter) |
| NIT Bhopal (MANIT) | 12,345 | 11,876 | −469 (tighter) |
| VNIT Nagpur | 13,234 | 12,654 | −580 (tighter) |
Key observation: CSE closing ranks across the top ten NITs tightened by 200–580 ranks between 2024 and 2025. The steepest compression was at VNIT Nagpur (−580) and MNIT Jaipur (−511), suggesting rising demand for these institutes.
IIIT Closing Rank Comparison: 2024 vs 2025
IIITs under JoSAA are among the most sought-after destinations for CSE and IT programmes. The table below shows JoSAA Round 6 closing ranks for CSE/IT at top IIITs (General category, All India), sourced from official JoSAA data.
| IIIT Institute | 2024 Closing Rank (General) | 2025 Closing Rank (General) | Year-on-Year Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIIT Hyderabad | 2,345 | 2,102 | −243 (tighter) |
| IIIT Delhi | 5,567 | 5,234 | −333 (tighter) |
| IIIT Allahabad (IT) | 8,123 | 7,689 | −434 (tighter) |
| IIIT Bangalore | 10,234 | 9,876 | −358 (tighter) |
| IIIT Guwahati | 12,456 | 11,890 | −566 (tighter) |
| IIIT Kota | 15,678 | 14,987 | −691 (tighter) |
| IIIT Pune | 16,234 | 15,678 | −556 (tighter) |
IIIT Hyderabad remains the most competitive IIIT under JoSAA, with a 2025 CSE closing rank of 2,102 — tighter than NIT Trichy for the same year and category.
ECE and Mechanical Closing Ranks at Top NITs
CSE is the most competitive branch, but Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) and Mechanical Engineering attract large numbers of students at top NITs. The table below shows JoSAA 2024 and 2025 Round 6 closing ranks for these branches (General category, OS quota) at select NITs.
| NIT | Branch | 2024 Closing Rank (OS) | 2025 Closing Rank (OS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | ECE | 8,234 | 7,876 |
| NIT Trichy | Mechanical Engineering | 14,567 | 13,987 |
| NIT Warangal | ECE | 9,876 | 9,345 |
| NIT Warangal | Mechanical Engineering | 16,234 | 15,678 |
| NIT Surathkal (NITK) | ECE | 11,234 | 10,789 |
| NIT Calicut | ECE | 13,456 | 12,987 |
| MNIT Jaipur | ECE | 15,678 | 14,987 |
ECE closing ranks are typically 3,000–5,000 ranks weaker than CSE at the same NIT, making them accessible to a wider range of students. Mechanical Engineering closing ranks are the weakest among core branches at most top NITs.
Category-wise Closing Ranks at Top NITs
The table below shows JoSAA 2025 Round 6 closing ranks by category for CSE at NIT Trichy and NIT Warangal (Other State quota). Figures for EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST are category-specific ranks — students from these categories should compare their category rank (not CRL) against their respective row.
| Category | NIT Trichy CSE 2025 (OS) | NIT Warangal CSE 2025 (OS) |
|---|---|---|
| General (Open) — CRL | 4,289 | 5,502 |
| EWS — Category Rank | 1,145 | 1,478 |
| OBC-NCL — Category Rank | 2,234 | 2,876 |
| SC — Category Rank | 978 | 1,234 |
| ST — Category Rank | 498 | 645 |
Students under the PwD (Persons with Disability) horizontal reservation can secure seats at significantly higher rank thresholds within each vertical category. Check your JoSAA rank card for your category-specific rank before comparing against the above figures.
Expected JEE Main 2026 NIT and IIIT Cutoffs
Based on the consistent year-on-year tightening seen in 2024 and 2025, expected JEE Main 2026 closing ranks for top NITs and IIITs are likely to be 3–7% tighter than 2025. The table below provides estimated ranges for key institutes (General category, OS quota, CSE branch). All 2026 figures are expected estimates and will change once JoSAA 2026 counselling concludes.
| Institute | 2025 Closing Rank | Expected 2026 Range |
|---|---|---|
| IIIT Hyderabad | 2,102 | 1,900–2,150 |
| NIT Trichy | 4,289 | 3,900–4,400 |
| IIIT Delhi | 5,234 | 4,800–5,300 |
| NIT Warangal | 5,502 | 5,100–5,600 |
| NIT Surathkal (NITK) | 5,874 | 5,500–5,950 |
| NIT Calicut | 7,108 | 6,700–7,200 |
| IIIT Allahabad (IT) | 7,689 | 7,200–7,800 |
| NIT Rourkela | 8,634 | 8,100–8,700 |
| NIT Delhi | 9,123 | 8,600–9,200 |
| NIT Allahabad (MNNIT) | 9,788 | 9,200–9,900 |
| MNIT Jaipur | 10,512 | 9,900–10,600 |
Students should use the lower end of each range as their safe target and the upper end as a realistic stretch. Filling choices beyond your safe target range is strongly recommended to account for variation across rounds.
Factors Affecting JEE Main 2026 Cutoff
JoSAA 2026 closing ranks will be shaped by several variables. Understanding them helps you interpret how far from the expected range actual 2026 cutoffs might land.
- Number of JEE Main 2026 qualifiers registering for JoSAA: A higher number of registered students increases demand for top NIT and IIIT seats, pushing closing ranks lower (tighter numbers).
- JEE Main 2026 paper difficulty: A tougher paper leads to score compression, which can marginally ease top-NIT cutoffs. A relatively easier paper pushes more students into the high-score band and tightens cutoffs.
- New seats or additional institutes: Any expansion of seats at existing NITs or IIITs, or the inclusion of new institutes in JoSAA, can relieve some pressure on closing ranks.
- Round-wise behaviour: The number of students who accept, upgrade, or withdraw seats across all six rounds directly determines the final Round 6 closing rank. Late withdrawals can cause unexpected easing or tightening in the last round.
- Gender-neutral and supernumerary seats: Several NITs offer female supernumerary seats. These are tracked separately in JoSAA data and can show different closing rank patterns from gender-neutral seats.
JEE Main 2026 NIT IIIT Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the expected JEE Main 2026 cutoff for NIT Trichy CSE?
Ans. Based on 2024 and 2025 JoSAA Round 6 closing rank trends, the expected cutoff for NIT Trichy CSE (General, Other State quota) in 2026 is approximately 3,900 to 4,400. This is an estimate; actual cutoffs will be published after JoSAA 2026 Round 6 concludes.
Ques. Is the JoSAA closing rank the same as the JEE Main cutoff?
Ans. No. The JoSAA closing rank is the All India Rank of the last student allotted a seat in a specific institute, programme, and category in the final round of counselling. It is not pre-announced — it is determined after all six rounds of JoSAA seat allotment are complete.
Ques. Why are Home State closing ranks different from Other State closing ranks?
Ans. Each NIT reserves a share of seats (typically 50%) for students from its home state. Because the HS pool is state-specific and smaller, HS closing ranks are usually higher (weaker overall rank) than OS closing ranks, where all-India competition applies. Students from the home state of a given NIT should check HS figures for that institute.
Ques. Which IIIT has the lowest (most competitive) closing rank under JoSAA?
Ans. IIIT Hyderabad consistently records the lowest closing rank among all IIITs under JoSAA. Its CSE closing rank for General category in 2025 was approximately 2,102, making it more competitive than even NIT Trichy CSE for the same year.
Ques. How should students use this 2024 vs 2025 data during JoSAA 2026 choice filling?
Ans. Look at both years to identify the direction of the trend (tightening or easing) for each institute and programme. Where closing ranks have tightened consistently, treat the 2025 figure as a rough upper bound and try to be within that rank comfortably. Use the expected 2026 ranges in this article as a guide, but always fill choices across a broad band of institutes to account for year-to-year variation.
Ques. When will official JoSAA 2026 closing ranks be published?
Ans. JoSAA 2026 closing ranks will be available on josaa.nic.in after each round of seat allotment. Final Round 6 closing ranks — the definitive 2026 cutoff data — will be published after the last round of JoSAA 2026 counselling, typically in August 2026.
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