The IIT JAM 2026 First Admission List, commonly searched as the Round 1 seat allotment list, is the first set of admission offers released for candidates who qualified JAM 2026 and submitted the admission form with programme preferences. The offer status is not meant to be checked through a general news page; candidates need to log in to the official JOAPS portal and view their individual admission status.
IIT Bombay is the organising institute for JAM 2026. The official admission schedule lists May 25, 2026 as the date for the First Admission List and May 30, 2026 as the last date to complete the Round 1 offer decision and seat booking fee payment. Candidates who miss the deadline may lose the offered seat, so the next step should be taken only after reading the offer details carefully.
This guide explains where to check the JAM 2026 Round 1 allotment, which portal to use, what the three admission options mean, how much seat booking fee is payable, what documents should be kept ready, and what happens if a candidate is not allotted a seat in the first round.
Quick Facts
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Admission round | IIT JAM 2026 First Admission List / Round 1 Seat Allotment |
| Organising institute | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay |
| Round 1 list date | May 25, 2026 |
| Round 1 fee payment deadline | May 30, 2026 |
| Official candidate portal | JOAPS at joaps.iitb.ac.in |
| Offer options | Accept and Freeze, Accept with Upgrade, or Reject and Quit |
| Seat booking fee | ₹15,000 for General/OBC-NCL/EWS and ₹7,500 for SC/ST/PwD |
| Withdrawal window | June 3 to July 3, 2026 |
| Final offer letter date | July 9, 2026 |
| Admission basis | JAM merit rank, programme preference, reservation rules, MEQ eligibility and seat availability |
Where to Check IIT JAM 2026 Round 1 Seat Allotment
Candidates should check the Round 1 allotment status through the official JOAPS portal. The official JAM 2026 admission process states that offer status, payment links and admission updates are available only through JOAPS.
Use the following official route:
- Go to the JAM 2026 official website at jam2026.iitb.ac.in.
- Open the JOAPS portal link, or directly visit joaps.iitb.ac.in.
- Log in using the candidate credentials.
- Open the admission or offer status section.
- Check the allotted institute, programme, category and offer instructions shown in the portal.
- Download or save the offer details for future reference.
Important Note on jam.iitm.ac.in and the Official JAM 2026 Portal
Some search results may mention jam.iitm.ac.in because IIT Madras has a GATE-JAM office page. However, JAM 2026 is organised by IIT Bombay, and the active official admission website for this cycle is jam2026.iitb.ac.in.
For individual seat allotment status, candidates should use JOAPS at joaps.iitb.ac.in. If any page asks candidates to check a different non-official portal for admission offers, candidates should verify it from the JAM 2026 official website before entering login details.
IIT JAM 2026 Round 1 Seat Allotment Important Dates
The official JAM 2026 admission schedule gives the key dates for seat allotment, fee payment, withdrawal and final offer letters. Candidates should treat these dates as important because every admission round has a fixed response window.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Submission of admission form on JOAPS | March 27 to April 15, 2026 |
| Last date for freezing choices | May 6, 2026 |
| Declaration of First Admission List | May 25, 2026 |
| Last date for seat booking fee payment for First Admission List | May 30, 2026 |
| Withdrawal option | June 3 to July 3, 2026 |
| Second Admission List | June 8, 2026 |
| Third Admission List | June 16, 2026 |
| Fourth Admission List | June 27, 2026 |
| Additional Round List, if conducted | July 3, 2026 |
| Downloading of offer letters from candidate portal | July 9, 2026 |
How to Check Admission Status on JOAPS
After logging in to JOAPS, candidates should read the offer details carefully before choosing an option. The allotment is based on the candidate’s JAM 2026 merit rank, submitted programme preferences, category rules, eligibility requirements and available seats.
- Open joaps.iitb.ac.in.
- Enter the enrolment ID or email ID and password used for JAM 2026.
- Go to the JAM 2026 admission status or offer section.
- Check whether a seat has been allotted in Round 1.
- If allotted, note the institute, academic programme, category, fee payment deadline and available response options.
- Select the correct option only after understanding the consequences.
- Pay the seat booking fee if choosing Accept and Freeze or Accept with Upgrade.
Candidates should not wait until the last hour because login, payment or network issues near the deadline can create unnecessary risk.
What Accept and Freeze, Accept with Upgrade, and Reject and Quit Mean
After a Round 1 offer is shown, the candidate has to choose one of the available options in JOAPS.
| Option | Meaning | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Accept and Freeze | The candidate accepts the current offer and does not want to be considered for higher preferences. | The allotted seat is provisionally accepted, subject to fee payment and verification. |
| Accept with Upgrade | The candidate accepts the current offer but wants to be considered for higher-preference choices in later rounds. | The current seat remains provisionally allotted. If a higher preference becomes available, the offer may be upgraded. |
| Reject and Quit | The candidate does not want to accept the current offer and does not want to continue in further JAM 2026 admission rounds. | The candidate is removed from further seat allocation for JAM 2026 admissions. |
Not choosing any option within the given deadline can lead to cancellation of the offered seat.
Seat Booking Fee for IIT JAM 2026 Round 1
Candidates who select Accept and Freeze or Accept with Upgrade for the first time must pay the seat booking fee online through the portal. The fee is required to confirm provisional acceptance of the offered seat.
| Category | Seat booking fee |
|---|---|
| General, OBC-NCL, EWS | ₹15,000 |
| SC, ST, PwD | ₹7,500 |
The seat booking fee is later transferred to the admitting institute and adjusted against the institute admission fee at the time of final admission. If the fee is not paid within the given window, the offer may be cancelled and the seat can be allotted to another eligible candidate in a later round.
Eligibility and Minimum Educational Qualification Check
Getting a seat offer in the first admission list does not by itself complete admission. Candidates must satisfy the eligibility requirements and the Minimum Educational Qualifications for the specific academic programme and institute.
- Candidates must have completed the undergraduate degree before the date of admission of the respective admitting institute.
- Final-year candidates must submit proof of passing the qualifying degree within the timeline given by the admitting institute.
- Programme-wise MEQ requirements must be checked from the official JAM 2026 admission brochure or MEQ page.
- Admission is subject to verification of documents, category claims, PwD status if applicable, and institute-specific requirements.
Candidates should not assume that qualifying JAM automatically confirms admission. The offer remains provisional until all requirements are verified by the admitting institute.
Documents to Keep Ready After Round 1 Allotment
Candidates who receive an offer should keep both digital and original documents ready. The exact reporting requirements will be given by the admitting institute and in the offer letter, but the following documents are commonly required during the admission process.
- JAM 2026 scorecard and seat offer details.
- Proof of date of birth, such as birth certificate or Class 10 certificate.
- Class 10 and Class 12 marksheet or certificate.
- Qualifying degree marksheets or semester-wise grade sheets.
- Degree certificate or provisional certificate, if available.
- Nationality proof as specified in the JAM 2026 admission instructions.
- OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST or PwD certificate, if applicable.
- Photo ID used during JAM 2026 registration.
- Recent passport-size photographs.
- Physical fitness certificate, if required by the admitting institute.
What If No Seat Is Allotted in Round 1
If no seat is allotted in the First Admission List, candidates should keep checking JOAPS according to the next admission round dates. Seat allotment in later rounds depends on vacancies, category-wise availability, merit position and the preferences submitted earlier.
The Second Admission List is scheduled for June 8, 2026, followed by the Third Admission List on June 16, 2026 and the Fourth Admission List on June 27, 2026. An Additional Round may be conducted on July 3, 2026 if seats remain available.
Candidates should also monitor the opening and closing ranks section on the official JAM 2026 website, because it can help them understand the movement of seats across rounds and institutes when data is made available.
Withdrawal and Refund Rules
Candidates who accept an offer but later want to withdraw from JAM 2026 admission can use the withdrawal option in the candidate portal during the official withdrawal window.
- The withdrawal window is scheduled from June 3 to July 3, 2026.
- Once a candidate withdraws, the allotted seat is forfeited and the candidate is not considered for later rounds or waitlist movement.
- If the candidate has paid the seat booking fee, the refund is processed after deduction of a ₹6,000 processing fee.
- The refund is expected to be credited to the same bank account used for payment by August 15, 2026.
Candidates should withdraw only after being certain, because the decision affects further participation in the admission process.
Offer Letter and Reporting to the Admitting Institute
Final offer letters are scheduled to be available for download from the candidate portal on July 9, 2026. The offer letter will mention programme details, institute name, admission confirmation status, document verification requirements and reporting instructions.
At the admitting institute stage, the seat booking fee is adjusted against the institute fee. The institute may verify original documents, category certificates, qualifying degree details, JAM scorecard, identity proof and fitness requirements before confirming admission.
Candidates should follow the instructions issued by the allotted IIT, because reporting dates, document formats, institute fee payment and physical fitness requirements may vary by institute and programme.
Official Links
Source: Official notification (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
The JAM 2026 First Admission List is scheduled for May 25, 2026. Candidates should log in to JOAPS to check their individual offer status.
Use the official JOAPS portal at joaps.iitb.ac.in or access it through jam2026.iitb.ac.in.
The last date for online payment of the seat booking fee for the First Admission List is May 30, 2026.
The seat booking fee is ₹15,000 for General, OBC-NCL and EWS candidates, and ₹7,500 for SC, ST and PwD candidates.
You must choose Accept and Freeze, Accept with Upgrade, or Reject and Quit in JOAPS, depending on whether you want to keep the seat, seek an upgrade, or leave the admission process.
Yes, later rounds may be conducted depending on vacancies. The Second Admission List is scheduled for June 8, 2026.
No. Admission depends on JAM merit rank, preferences, seat availability, reservation rules, eligibility requirements and programme-wise MEQ verification.
Yes. The withdrawal window is scheduled from June 3 to July 3, 2026, with a processing fee deduction of ₹6,000 from the paid seat booking fee.