JoSAA 2026 NIT closing ranks for Round 5 (final round, declared July 16, 2026) show NIT Trichy CSE at approximately 1,400–1,480 CRL and NIT Warangal and NIT Surathkal CSE between 2,150–2,400 CRL for General/Open Other State quota students, broadly consistent with 2024 and 2025 trends.
The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) allocates B.Tech seats across 31 NITs, 26 IIITs and 56 Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs) based on JEE Main scores. Comparing final-round closing ranks across 2024, 2025 and 2026 helps students set realistic choice-filling targets and understand how competition has shifted across three cycles. This article covers CSE, ECE and Mechanical closing rank trends for top NITs with category-wise data using NIT Trichy as a reference example.
- JoSAA 2026 ran 5 rounds; Round 5 (final) results were declared on July 16, 2026. Confirmed closing ranks are at josaa.nic.in.
- NIT Trichy CSE (General/OS) is the tightest NIT seat, closing near 1,400–1,500 CRL in both 2024 and 2025.
- General/Open category closing ranks use the Common Rank List (CRL); OBC-NCL, SC, ST and EWS seats use their respective category ranks.
- JoSAA 2024 ran 6 rounds; JoSAA 2025 and 2026 reduced this to 5 rounds, affecting how seats reshuffled in the final round.
- All 2026 data in this article is expected, based on 2024–2025 trends; cross-check confirmed figures at josaa.nic.in after July 16, 2026.
| Direct Link to JoSAA 2026 Opening and Closing Ranks (OUT) |
JoSAA NIT Closing Ranks: What They Mean
The closing rank is the last JEE Main rank at which a seat was allotted in a given round of JoSAA counselling. Final-round closing ranks are the widest: they reflect the maximum rank at which any seat in an institute-branch-category combination was filled across the entire counselling cycle. JoSAA 2024 ran 6 rounds; JoSAA 2025 and 2026 both ran 5 rounds. All ranks in the comparison tables are for Other State (OS) quota, General/Open (CRL) category, final round, unless noted. Home State (HS) quota seats at the same NIT are significantly less competitive.
NIT CSE Closing Ranks 2024 vs 2025 vs 2026 (General/Open, OS Quota)
Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) is the most competitive branch at every NIT. Final-round closing ranks at premier NITs fall below 8,000 CRL for General/Open OS quota students across all three years. Figures are approximate and reflect josaa.nic.in data trends; 2026 values are expected.
| NIT | 2024 Closing Rank (CRL) | 2025 Closing Rank (CRL) | 2026 Closing Rank (Expected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy (NITT) | ~1,420 | ~1,470 | ~1,440 |
| NIT Warangal (NITW) | ~2,150 | ~2,280 | ~2,200 |
| NIT Surathkal (NITK) | ~2,250 | ~2,380 | ~2,300 |
| NIT Calicut (NITC) | ~3,900 | ~4,150 | ~4,000 |
| MNNIT Allahabad | ~5,600 | ~5,900 | ~5,700 |
| MNIT Jaipur | ~6,200 | ~6,600 | ~6,400 |
| NIT Rourkela (NITR) | ~7,200 | ~7,700 | ~7,400 |
Approximate, based on josaa.nic.in data trends. 2026 values are expected. Verify confirmed figures at josaa.nic.in.
NIT ECE Closing Ranks 2024 vs 2025 vs 2026 (General/Open, OS Quota)
Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) is the second most competitive branch at top NITs. ECE closing ranks at premier NITs are typically 7–10 times higher than CSE closing ranks at the same institute for General/Open OS quota students in the final round.
| NIT | 2024 Closing Rank (CRL) | 2025 Closing Rank (CRL) | 2026 Closing Rank (Expected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | ~10,300 | ~10,900 | ~10,500 |
| NIT Warangal | ~11,800 | ~12,500 | ~12,000 |
| NIT Surathkal | ~13,000 | ~13,800 | ~13,300 |
| NIT Calicut | ~13,500 | ~14,300 | ~13,800 |
| NIT Rourkela | ~19,000 | ~20,100 | ~19,400 |
Approximate, based on josaa.nic.in data trends. 2026 values are expected. Verify at josaa.nic.in.
Category-wise Closing Ranks: NIT Trichy CSE (OS Quota)
Reserved-category seats use category-specific ranks, not the CRL. Students with OBC-NCL, SC, ST or EWS status must compare their category rank (from their JEE Main scorecard) against the corresponding column. The table uses NIT Trichy CSE (Other State quota) as a benchmark across three years.
| Category | Rank Type | 2024 Closing Rank | 2025 Closing Rank | 2026 Closing Rank (Expected) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General (Open) | CRL | ~1,420 | ~1,470 | ~1,440 |
| EWS | EWS Category Rank | ~2,200 | ~2,400 | ~2,300 |
| OBC-NCL | OBC-NCL Category Rank | ~3,000 | ~3,200 | ~3,100 |
| SC | SC Category Rank | ~4,400 | ~4,700 | ~4,500 |
| ST | ST Category Rank | ~2,050 | ~2,200 | ~2,100 |
Approximate, based on josaa.nic.in data trends. 2026 values are expected. EWS, OBC-NCL, SC and ST figures are category ranks, not CRL.
Key Trends Across 2024–2026
Four patterns stand out when comparing JoSAA NIT closing ranks across 2024, 2025 and 2026:
- CSE demand stays intense at premier NITs. The top four NITs (Trichy, Warangal, Surathkal and Calicut) have kept their General/OS closing ranks in the 1,400–4,200 CRL band, with only moderate year-on-year fluctuation of 3–8%.
- Fewer rounds have not dramatically shifted final closing ranks. The move from 6 rounds in 2024 to 5 rounds in 2025 and 2026 introduced modest changes in seat reshuffling, but final closing ranks for high-demand branches stayed in a similar band across years.
- ECE and Mechanical ranks are stable. Non-CSE branches at top NITs show less than 5–7% variation year-on-year, indicating that the preference tilt toward CSE has not significantly eased pressure on other branches at premier institutes.
- Home State advantage remains large. HS quota closing ranks are 3–6 times less competitive (higher CRL number) than OS quota at the same institute and branch. Students domiciled in an NIT’s home state hold a significant structural advantage during choice filling.
How to Check JoSAA 2026 NIT Closing Ranks
Official closing ranks for all 5 rounds of JoSAA 2026 are available at josaa.nic.in. Follow these steps to access them:
- Go to josaa.nic.in, the official JoSAA 2026 portal.
- Click "Opening and Closing Ranks" from the navigation or results section.
- Select Year: 2026 and Round: 5 (the final round gives the widest closing ranks).
- Choose Institute Type: NIT, then apply filters for Institute Name, Branch, Category and Quota (HS or OS).
- Read the Closing Rank column; compare your JEE Main CRL (for General/EWS seats) or category rank (for OBC-NCL, SC, ST seats) against this value.
For 2024 and 2025 archives, use the previous-year opening and closing ranks tool at josaa.admissions.nic.in, where you can filter by year, round, institute, branch, category and quota.
JoSAA 2026 NIT Closing Ranks FAQs
Ques. What is the expected JoSAA 2026 NIT Trichy CSE closing rank for the General category?
Ans. Based on 2024–2025 trends, the expected General/Open (OS quota) CSE closing rank for NIT Trichy in JoSAA 2026 Round 5 is approximately 1,400–1,480 CRL. Confirmed 2026 figures are available at josaa.nic.in after Round 5 results were declared on July 16, 2026.
Ques. Do JoSAA NIT closing ranks use CRL or category ranks?
Ans. General/Open seats use the Common Rank List (CRL). OBC-NCL, SC, ST and EWS reserved seats use their respective category ranks. Students with reserved-category status must use the category rank shown on their JEE Main scorecard to compare against reserved-category closing ranks; the CRL is not used for this purpose.
Ques. Why do NIT closing ranks change from year to year?
Ans. Year-on-year variation is driven by changes in JEE Main score normalisation, total number of qualified students, seat intake adjustments and the number of counselling rounds. JoSAA 2024 ran 6 rounds while 2025 and 2026 ran 5, which affected seat reshuffling and led to modest differences in final closing ranks.
Ques. What is the difference between Home State and Other State quota closing ranks at NITs?
Ans. Home State (HS) quota reserves roughly 50% of NIT seats for students domiciled in the NIT’s home state. HS closing ranks are typically 3–6 times less competitive (higher rank number) than Other State (OS) closing ranks for the same branch and category. While NIT Trichy CSE (OS) closes near 1,450 CRL, students from Tamil Nadu under HS quota may see closing ranks in the 5,000–8,000 CRL range.
Ques. Which NIT has the most competitive CSE closing rank in JoSAA?
Ans. NIT Trichy (NITT) consistently has the tightest CSE closing rank among all 31 NITs for General/Open OS quota students, closing near 1,400–1,500 CRL in 2024 and 2025. NIT Warangal and NIT Surathkal are close behind, both closing between 2,150 and 2,400 CRL in recent years.
Ques. How many rounds did JoSAA 2026 conduct for NIT seat allocation?
Ans. JoSAA 2026 conducted 5 rounds of seat allocation for NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. Round 5 was the final round, with results declared on July 16, 2026. After JoSAA rounds conclude, CSAB conducts additional special rounds for remaining vacant seats in the NIT+ system.
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