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When you set your sights on engineering, Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) are often high on the list. These institutes offer excellent placements, modern computer science curricula, and strong research cultures. However, the path to securing a seat is not unified. If you assume that performing well in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and waiting for a single counselling process is enough, you might miss out on some of the top-ranked IIITs in the country.
Depending on your target, you will need to track different portals, exam requirements and application deadlines.
How do you apply to the 26 JoSAA IIITs?
The majority of government-funded and public-private partnership (PPP) IIITs fall under centralized counselling.
According to the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), there are 26 IIITs participating in centralized counselling for the 2026-27 academic year. If you are aiming for institutes like IIIT Allahabad, IIIT Lucknow, or IIIT Jabalpur, the route is straightforward.
You must sit the JEE Main (Paper 1) exam. To be eligible, you generally need to score at least 75% in your Class 12 board exams (65% for SC/ST candidates) or rank in the top 20 percentile of your board. You do not apply to these institutes individually. After JEE Advanced results are announced, you register on the official JoSAA portal, fill in your choices, and wait for the allocation rounds. If you need a recap of this system, read about JoSAA counselling for parents: rounds, choices and documents or check The 75 percent board marks rule for NIT and IIIT admission.
Do IIIT Hyderabad and IIIT Bangalore use JoSAA?
No. Although they are highly ranked, both IIIT Hyderabad and IIIT Bangalore do not participate in JoSAA. You must apply directly through their own admission portals.
IIIT Hyderabad (IIIT-H): This institute offers several entry channels. For its 4-year single-degree B.Tech programmes, admission is based strictly on your JEE Main percentile. For its 5-year dual-degree (B.Tech + MS) programmes, applicants must clear the institute's own Undergraduate Entrance Exam (UGEE) and a subsequent interview. For details on that specific exam, see UGEE: the IIIT Hyderabad research-track entrance explained.
IIIT Bangalore (IIIT-B): The institute also bases its admissions on your JEE Main All India Rank for its 4-year B.Tech and 5-year integrated M.Tech programmes. However, you must submit a separate application on the IIIT-B portal, as they conduct their own counselling and publish their own merit list.
How does IIIT Delhi admit students?
IIIT Delhi is another exception. It admits students based on JEE Main ranks but handles its seat allocation through the Joint Admission Committee (JAC) Delhi.
You must register on the JAC Delhi portal to be considered. IIIT Delhi requires a 70% aggregate in your best five subjects (which must include Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) and at least 70% in Mathematics in Class 12. Importantly, 85% of seats through JAC Delhi are reserved for students who completed Class 12 from a school located in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, leaving 15% for outside candidates.
What is the DASA and Olympiad channel?
Beyond the traditional JEE Main route, some IIITs have created special admission channels to build a diverse student body and reward specific kinds of excellence:
DASA (Direct Admission of Students Abroad): Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and foreign nationals can apply to several IIITs through this centralised scheme.
Olympiad mode: Institutes like IIIT Hyderabad offer direct admission to students who have qualified for select international competitions, such as the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) or the International Olympiad in Linguistics. This route bypasses the JEE Main entirely, focusing instead on world-class problem-solving skills.
A tracking plan for your IIIT applications
Missing an autonomous institute's deadline is a common and costly mistake. When the exam season starts, sitting down with a clear plan helps you stay organised.
If you find yourself not knowing where to start your revision for these varying entrance exams, Fermi's AI tutor can work out what you already know and build a plan for the session, so you sit down to a clear next step. And when you hit difficult numericals in your practice, the Fermi Problem Library provides worked problems with a step-by-step solver that explains the reasoning.
To keep track of your applications, set up a simple checklist on paper or a spreadsheet with these four rows:
JoSAA Portal: For the 26 centralized IIITs (registration opens after JEE Advanced).
IIIT Hyderabad Portal: For UGEE registration (usually early in the year) and the JEE Main mode.
IIIT Bangalore Portal: For direct B.Tech application using your JEE Main score.
JAC Delhi Portal: If you are targeting IIIT Delhi.
Note down the URL, your login credentials, and the "last date to apply" for each as soon as they are announced. Treat each portal as a separate application process to ensure you do not miss your chance at a seat.
