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By rohit.pandey1
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Updated on 8 May 2026, 12:10 IST
JoSAA refund policy 2026 determines how much fee you get back after withdrawal. The rules differ for IIT and NIT+ system seats. Timing of withdrawal is the most critical factor. Miss the deadline and you lose the entire SAF.
This guide covers exact refund amounts, processing charges, PAF rules, round-wise deadlines, and step-by-step withdrawal process.
| Parameter | Details |
| SAF — General / OBC-NCL / EWS | ₹30,000 (includes ₹5,000 non-refundable JoSAA processing charge) |
| SAF — SC / ST / PwD | ₹15,000 |
| Withdrawal processing charge deducted | ₹7,000 |
| Cancellation processing charge (document issue) | ₹5,000 |
| Refund on withdrawal — General category | ₹23,000 |
| Refund on withdrawal — SC/ST/PwD | ₹8,000 |
| PAF refundable? | No — completely non-refundable once paid |
| Last date to withdraw for refund | Before final JoSAA round begins |
| Refund credit mode | Same bank account used for SAF payment |
| Estimated refund timeline | 15–30 working days |
Important: ₹5,000 JoSAA processing charge is always deducted. It is included within your SAF amount. It is non-refundable under all conditions.
There are three fee types to understand clearly:
Refund eligibility depends on two things: when you withdraw and which system your seat belongs to (IIT or NIT+).
| Category | SAF Amount | Non-Refundable JoSAA Processing Fee (within SAF) |
| General (OPEN) | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 |
| OBC-NCL | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 |
| GEN-EWS | ₹30,000 | ₹5,000 |
| SC | ₹15,000 | ₹5,000 |
| ST | ₹15,000 | ₹5,000 |
| GEN-PwD | ₹15,000 | ₹5,000 |
| OBC-NCL-PwD | ₹15,000 | ₹5,000 |
| SC-PwD | ₹15,000 | ₹5,000 |
| ST-PwD | ₹15,000 | ₹5,000 |
SAF is paid once on the JoSAA portal after seat allotment. It confirms your willingness to accept the seat. Not paying SAF means you reject the offered seat.
PAF applies only to candidates allotted NIT, IIIT, IIEST, or GFTI seats.
| Category | PAF Amount |
| General / OBC-NCL / EWS | ₹40,000 |
| SC / ST / PwD | ₹20,000 |
PAF is non-refundable. Not paying PAF forfeits your seat. The vacant seat goes to CSAB special rounds. Your SAF is refunded after ₹7,000 deduction.
You paid SAF for an IIT seat. You want to withdraw.
JEE
NEET
Foundation JEE
Foundation NEET
CBSE
| Withdrawal Timing | Refund — General | Refund — SC/ST/PwD |
| Before last JoSAA round | ₹23,000 | ₹8,000 |
| After last round (no action taken) | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Seat cancelled due to document issue | ₹25,000 (₹5,000 deducted) | ₹10,000 (₹5,000 deducted) |
More scenarios exist because PAF is involved.
| Scenario | SAF Refund | PAF Refund |
| Withdraw before last round (before paying PAF) | ₹23,000 / ₹8,000 | Not applicable — not yet paid |
| Withdraw before last round (after paying PAF) | ₹23,000 / ₹8,000 | No refund |
| Did not pay PAF — seat forfeited automatically | ₹23,000 / ₹8,000 | Not applicable |
| Seat cancelled — document discrepancy | ₹25,000 / ₹10,000 | Contact institute |
| No withdrawal and no PAF after last round | ₹0 | ₹0 |
Key Rule: PAF, once paid, is never refunded by JoSAA. Contact the allotted institute if your seat is cancelled post-PAF payment.
This is the most misunderstood part of JoSAA refund policy. Two different charges apply in two different situations.
| Charge Type | When It Applies | Amount Deducted from SAF |
| JoSAA Processing Charge | Always — embedded in SAF at payment time | ₹5,000 (non-refundable always) |
| Withdrawal Processing Charge | You actively choose to withdraw your seat | ₹7,000 |
| Cancellation Processing Charge | JoSAA cancels seat due to document issue | ₹5,000 |
Exact refund calculation for General category withdrawal:
Exact refund calculation for SC/ST/PwD withdrawal:
Missing the withdrawal deadline means losing your SAF entirely. Check round-wise rules below.
| JoSAA Round | Can You Withdraw? | Refund Available? | Action Required |
| Round 1 | Yes | Yes | Withdraw before Round 2 allotment |
| Round 2 | Yes | Yes | Withdraw before Round 3 allotment |
| Round 3 | Yes | Yes | Withdraw before Round 4 allotment |
| Round 4 | Yes | Yes | Withdraw before Round 5 allotment |
| Round 5 (last for IIT system) | Yes — last chance | Yes | Withdraw before Round 5 result |
| Round 6 / Final Round (NIT+) | No refund withdrawal | No refund | SAF forfeited if no prior action |
| After joining institute | UGC policy governs | Partial — institute-specific | Contact institute accounts dept. |
Important: JoSAA 2026 is expected to have 5 rounds for the IIT system. For the NIT+ system, the final round is typically Round 6. Always confirm exact deadlines on josaa.nic.in.
Many students confuse Float/Slide with withdrawal. They are completely different actions.
| Option | What It Does | Effect on SAF | Can You Undo It? |
| Freeze | Confirms your seat. No change in future rounds. | SAF adjusts against institute fee | No change needed |
| Float | Keeps seat. Eligible for better choice in next round. | SAF carries forward | Yes — can change to Freeze/Slide |
| Slide | Keeps seat. Eligible for better branch at same institute. | SAF carries forward | Yes — can change to Freeze |
| Withdraw | Exits you permanently from JoSAA. | SAF refunded minus ₹7,000 | Irreversible |
Never withdraw if you just want a better seat. Use Float instead. Withdrawal exits you from JoSAA permanently. You can register for CSAB separately after withdrawing.
Also Check: JoSAA Free Fload and Slide Strategy
Follow these steps to withdraw your JoSAA seat and get a refund.
Step 1. Go to the official JoSAA portal: josaa.nic.in
Step 2. Log in using your JEE Main or JEE Advanced credentials.
Step 3. Go to the Seat Allotment section in your dashboard.
Step 4. Click on the "Withdraw" option against your allotted seat.
Step 5. Read the withdrawal terms. Note: withdrawal is irreversible.
Step 6. Confirm withdrawal on the next screen.
Step 7. Enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile and email.
Step 8. Download and save the withdrawal confirmation receipt immediately.
Step 9. Your refund is processed to the same account used for SAF payment.
Documents to keep ready before withdrawing:
Refunds are not instant. Processing takes time after the counselling round closes.
| Stage | Estimated Time |
| Withdrawal completed on JoSAA portal | Same day |
| JoSAA processes refund batch after round closes | 5–10 working days |
| Bank transfer initiated by JoSAA | 10–15 working days |
| Amount credited to your bank account | 15–30 working days |
The refund goes to the same bank account or UPI ID used during SAF payment. If you paid via SBI e-challan, the amount is transferred to the bank account provided during JoSAA registration.
Did not receive refund after 30 working days? Raise a grievance on the JoSAA helpdesk at josaa.nic.in. Keep your withdrawal receipt and payment confirmation ready.
| Parameter | JoSAA Refund Policy | CSAB Refund Policy |
| Withdrawal processing charge | ₹7,000 deducted from SAF | ~₹12,000 total if entering from JoSAA |
| SAF refundable after withdrawal | Yes — minus ₹7,000 | Yes — adjusted against CSAB fees |
| PAF refundable | No | No |
| Last round for refund | Before final JoSAA round | Before CSAB Round 2 |
| Re-entry after withdrawal | Only via CSAB (fresh registration) | Not possible after CSAB Round 2 |
If you withdrew from JoSAA and want CSAB: Register separately at csab.nic.in. JoSAA registration does not carry over to CSAB.
If you went to CSAB without withdrawing from JoSAA: You must surrender your JoSAA seat before CSAB Round 2. Combined deductions total approximately ₹12,000. Miss CSAB Round 2 deadline and no refund is given.
JoSAA allows an optional SAF pre-payment before seat allotment. Key rules:
Note 1. Withdrawal from JoSAA is permanent. You cannot re-enter after withdrawing.
Note 2. PAF is non-refundable once paid. JoSAA bears no responsibility for PAF refund.
Note 3. ₹5,000 JoSAA processing charge is always non-refundable. This applies regardless of reason.
Note 4. Refund goes to the same payment source used for SAF. Keep that account active.
Note 5. If JoSAA 2026 Business Rules revise charges, updated amounts appear on josaa.nic.in. Always verify before acting.
Note 6. Institute fees paid after reporting are governed by UGC refund policy — not JoSAA.
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SAF is refundable if you withdraw before the last JoSAA round. ₹7,000 is deducted as a withdrawal processing charge. If your seat is cancelled due to a document issue, ₹5,000 is deducted instead. If you miss all deadlines, no refund is given.
General, OBC-NCL, and EWS candidates get ₹23,000 back (₹30,000 SAF minus ₹7,000). SC, ST, and PwD candidates get ₹8,000 back (₹15,000 SAF minus ₹7,000). PAF is not refunded in any case.
No. PAF is completely non-refundable once paid. If your seat is cancelled after PAF payment, contact the allotted institute directly. JoSAA has no obligation for PAF refund.
You must withdraw before the final round of JoSAA counselling. For IIT seats, this is before Round 5 result. For NIT+ system seats, this is before Round 6 result. Check exact dates on josaa.nic.in.
Withdrawal is voluntary — you choose to exit. ₹7,000 is deducted. Cancellation is done by JoSAA due to a document discrepancy or eligibility failure. ₹5,000 is deducted in cancellation cases. PAF is not refunded in either case.
No. Using Float and getting an upgrade does not require any additional SAF payment. The already-paid SAF carries forward and adjusts against the new institute's fee.
Based on previous year patterns, refund is credited within 15–30 working days after withdrawal. It goes to the same bank account or UPI ID used during SAF payment. If not received after 30 working days, raise a grievance on josaa.nic.in.
If you do not report and did not withdraw before the last round, no refund is given. If you report and then wish to leave, the UGC refund policy governs — not JoSAA. Contact the institute accounts department directly.
If you used optional SAF pre-payment and no seat was allotted, the full pre-paid amount is refunded with zero deduction. This is the only scenario where 100% of your payment is returned.
If you moved to CSAB without withdrawing from JoSAA and want to exit, surrender your seat before CSAB Round 2. Combined charges (JoSAA + CSAB processing) total approximately ₹12,000 in deductions. Missing CSAB Round 2 deadline results in zero refund.
The ₹5,000 processing charge is included within your SAF at the time of payment. It is always non-refundable. The ₹7,000 withdrawal charge is an additional deduction applied only when you actively choose to withdraw. Both are separate and apply in different scenarios.