On this page
You wanted computer science and got civil. It stings, especially when friends post their allotments. But a branch is less fixed than it feels during counselling. You have four official routes into the field you wanted, and a fifth that needs no permission at all: building the skills yourself.
Can I still move to another branch during counselling?
Possibly, if JoSAA rounds are still running. After you accept a seat you choose Freeze, Float or Slide. Slide means you keep your current seat but stay in line for a branch higher on your choice list at the same institute. Float means you stay in line for a higher choice at any institute. An NIT Tiruchirappalli notice summarising the 2020-21 JoSAA business rules says slide and float are open only to candidates who were not offered their first choice, are not available in the last round, and that a freeze cannot be changed.
These details are set again each year, so read the current Business Rules on the official JoSAA site before you report. For the rounds and documents, see our guide to JoSAA counselling rounds, choices and documents.
Can I change my branch after first year?
At many IITs, no. IIT Madras said in an 11 June 2024 press release that students can choose about 40 per cent of their courses, and that "these major updates have eliminated the need for a branch change option." A Careers360 roundup updated in September 2026 lists 11 IITs that allow branch change and 12, including Bombay, Madras and Kharagpur, that do not.
Where it exists, it is hard to get. At IIT Delhi, according to rules reported by Careers360 in 2020, you could apply only at the end of first year, with a CGPA above 8.00 for General and OBC students (above 7.00 for SC, ST and PwD). Seats were capped: the branch you join could not go more than 15% over its sanctioned strength, and the branch you leave could not drop below 85%. NITs and state colleges set their own rules.
What is a minor, and can it get me into the field I wanted?
A minor is a set of extra courses, usually from another department, that is recognised on your degree. Under AICTE's handbook, a minor in an emerging area needs at least 18 to 20 credits on top of your main degree, as Careers360 reported in April 2023. The listed areas include artificial intelligence and machine learning, data science, robotics and VLSI design. So a mechanical student with 18 to 20 extra credits in robotics can graduate with a BTech in mechanical engineering with specialisation in robotics.
Pick open electives the same way: as a set that builds towards one field.
Can online courses count towards my degree?
They can. UGC's 2021 SWAYAM regulations let an institution allow up to 40% of the courses offered in a programme in a semester to come from online SWAYAM courses, according to UGC's letter to all universities. Your college decides which courses it accepts, so get approval before you enrol.
How do I build skills in my area anyway?
Here is a worked plan for a common case: you got electrical engineering at an NIT and wanted computer science.
Semester 1: Protect your CGPA. It shapes branch change, minors and internships. Our semester plan to improve your CGPA shows how.
Semester 2: Find out the rules. Get the branch change ordinance, the minor list and the SWAYAM credit policy from the academic section.
Summer 1: Learn one programming language well and build one small project you can show.
Semesters 3 to 6: Register for a minor or a set of electives in computing. Add one approved SWAYAM course if your college allows it.
Summers 2 and 3: Do a project or internship that joins both fields, such as embedded systems or signal processing. See how to land research internships as an undergraduate.
Teaching yourself a new field usually exposes gaps in the foundations. The Fermi Concept Library covers every concept in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computing, each with its own lesson, so you can fill one gap at a time. When you don't know where to start, Fermi's AI tutor works out what you already know and builds a plan for the session.
When you meet your faculty adviser, ask: "Which minors are open to my branch, which electives count towards them, and does the department accept SWAYAM credits? Which courses would you take in my place?"
Feeling low for a few days after allotment is normal. If it lasts, help is free: IIT Kanpur's counselling page describes Tele MANAS as a free, 24x7 national mental-health helpline from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Your next step: this week, ask your academic section for the minor list and the branch change rules, in writing.
