CSAB Vacant Seats 2025: Your Guide to the Special Round Counselling

Introduction

The Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) Special Round counselling for 2025 offers a critical opportunity to engineering aspirants who missed out or wish to upgrade their seats after JoSAA counselling. Conducted between July and August 2025, CSAB fills vacant seats left in NITs, IIITs, IIEST Shibpur, and GFTIs. These vacancies arise due to withdrawals, non-reporting, document issues, or upgrades during JoSAA rounds. The CSAB 2025 Special Round process — covering registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and reporting — is fully online and provides a transparent chance to secure admission based on JEE Main 2025 ranks (CRL) 

What Are CSAB Vacant Seats 2025?

Understanding the Concept

After JoSAA's six rounds conclude (finalized on July 16, 2025) for admission into IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, any unclaimed or newly vacated seats are catalogued in the CSAB Vacant Seat Matrix. These seats form the basis of the Special Rounds counselling, run separately under CSAB for the NIT+ system (NITs, IIITs, IIEST, GFTIs) . The matrix is published online on July 30, 2025, at 10 AM, accessible via the CSAB portal 

Seat Matrix Highlights

• NITs: 4,580 seats

• IIITs: 3,087 seats

• GFTIs: 6,060 seats

• Total Vacancies: 13,727 across institutions and categories 

This comprehensive breakdown includes institute code, course name, category-wise seat count, and quota types to help candidates make informed choices 

CSAB 2025 Special Round: Eligibility & Counselling Process

Who Can Participate?

To be eligible for CSAB Special Round counselling, a candidate must:

• Possess a valid JEE Main 2025 rank, and

• Be eligible under JoSAA criteria, AND satisfy one of the following:

  • Did not register for JoSAA but met eligibility

  • Registered but did not receive a seat

  • Received a seat but did not report or paid fee

  • Withdrew or had seat canceled due to documentation

  • Want to upgrade from previously allotted seat 

Timeline & Counselling Steps

Fresh Registration & Fee Details

• Fresh online registration is mandatory, even if the candidate was registered through JoSAA

• Seat enrolment fee (SREF):

  • INR 40,000: GEN/OBC-NCL/GEN-EWS

  • INR 19,000: SC/ST/PwD

• Payment modes include net banking, UPI, cards, and e-challan options

How to Use the CSAB Vacant Seat Matrix

Interpreting Seat Vacancy Data

Candidates should download the PDF matrix and use search tools to filter by:

• Institute name (e.g., NIT Surat, NIT Delhi)

• Program code (e.g., Computer Science, Civil)

• Category and seat pool (e.g., OPEN, HS, OBC‑NCL)

• Gender-Neutral / Female-only quotas

This helps prioritise choices during registration and choice filling 

Vacancy Trends Comparison

Key Tips for CSAB Special Round Aspirants

1. Register early within July 30 to August 3 window.

2. Pay required fee promptly—do not wait until last minute.

3. Analyze the seat matrix institute-wise and course-wise before locking choices.

4. Use mock allotment results (Aug 3) to strategize final choices.

5. Lock priorities carefully by Aug 7 deadline.

What Happens After Allotment?

Once seat allotment occurs in each round:

• Candidates must download allotment letter and admission slip

• Upload documents and accept or surrender seats

• Pay remaining fee as instructed by the institute

• Report physically (where needed) or complete online reporting

• Follow up on query resolution deadlines

If seats remain vacant after three rounds, a Spot Round (P1 reporting) may be conducted to fill remaining slots.

Benefits of CSAB Special Rounds

• Last opportunity to secure admission into NIT/IIIT/GFTI after JoSAA.

• Open to fresh and existing JoSAA candidates—increasing reach.

• Transparent process: officially regulated and fully online.

• More available seats compared to 2023 and 2024 

Common Queries (FAQs)

1. Will category restoration be allowed?
Yes, candidates whose category (like OBC‑NCL/SC/ST) was changed to GEN during JoSAA verification can request restoration during CSAB registration 

2. Can I update state/gender eligibility?
Yes — candidates can update details like state eligibility, nationality, and category (only from beneficiary to non-beneficiary) during registration 

3. How many rounds will CSAB conduct?
Three Special Rounds plus a possible Spot Round if vacancies remain

4. Is document verification mandatory?
Yes — for CSAB rounds, document verification occurs during the rounds or institute reporting stage 

Conclusion

The CSAB Vacant Seats 2025 initiative provides a second lease of life to those aiming for admission into top engineering institutions via JEE Main 2025. With over 13,700 seats available across NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs — and a structured process involving fresh registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and document acceptance — it’s a golden opportunity for aspirants determined to secure a seat.

Candidates must act quickly within the registration window, review seat matrices strategically, and follow the guidelines for a smooth counselling experience. With diligent planning and timely action, CSAB Special Round 2025 could be the gateway to a coveted engineering seat.