JEE Advanced 2026 Rank Under 500? Every IIT Branch You Can Get in JoSAA Counselling — Ranked | Education and Career News
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JoSAA Counselling 2026: With around a 500 rank, candidates can still secure Electrical, Mathematics & Computing, or top core branches in older IITs, or CSE in newer IITs.
Although the fees at IIT Bombay may appear high, the institute provides various scholarships and fee waivers. (File Photo)
JEE Advanced 2026: A rank under 500 in JEE Advanced 2026 places candidates firmly among the country’s top performers, opening doors to the most sought-after programmes across the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). JoSAA counselling commenced on June 2. Admission to IITs is determined by opening and closing ranks released with JEE Advanced results, with the closing rank indicating the last admitted candidate in a programme.
Aspirants in the top 500 can expect access to nearly all premier branches, including Computer Science, Mathematics & Computing, and Electrical Engineering, at top IITs.
Within the top tier — between AIR 1 to 100–150 — candidates typically secure elite CSE and AI branches such as Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Kharagpur, as well as CSE or AI at IIT Madras. These branches consistently close within the top 100 ranks, making them the most competitive in the country.
The next tier (AIR 150–300), candidates can usually access CSE at IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati, CSE or AI at IIT Hyderabad, and CSE at IIT BHU. New-age specialisations such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science are also available in this range, particularly at IIT Hyderabad and newer IITs.
For those in the 300–500 bracket, strong options remain across a mix of core and technology-focused branches, though branch flexibility becomes crucial. Candidates may still secure CSE at select IITs like IIT Indore and IIT Gandhinagar, and possibly at IIT Ropar in later rounds. Electrical Engineering and Mathematics and Computing remain accessible at top institutes, with options like Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi, Mathematics and Computing at IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur, and Electrical or Statistics at IIT Kanpur.
Top core branches in older IITs, such as Mechanical and Chemical Engineering at IIT Bombay and IIT Madras, and Civil or Engineering Physics at IIT Delhi, are also realistic possibilities. With a rank of around 500, candidates can still secure Electrical, Mathematics and Computing, or top core branches in older IITs, or CSE in newer IITs.
With JoSAA Counselling 2026 now underway, aspirants must note that the choice-filling window will remain open until June 11. The first mock seat allocation is scheduled for June 8, the second mock allocation for June 10, and Round 1 seat allotment results will be announced on June 13.
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