Can I Change My Category in JoSAA: Many students preparing for engineering admissions in India often apply under a reservation category like OBC-NCL, SC, ST, or Gen-EWS during the JEE registration process. But later, during the JoSAA counselling stage, they may want or need to change their category—for example, from OBC-NCL to General, or Gen-EWS to General—due to missing or invalid certificates, changes in eligibility, or personal choice. This situation leads to a common and important question: Can I change my category in JoSAA after counselling registration? The answer is not straightforward. While JoSAA does allow category changes in specific cases, it follows a strict policy with clear deadlines and conditions. Students must complete the process carefully and within the allowed time to avoid disqualification or loss of category benefits.
Here is a detailed explanation of when and how a category change is possible in JoSAA, what steps you need to follow, and what restrictions apply. Whether you are trying to update your documents or switch to the General category, understanding the rules can help you avoid mistakes during this crucial admission stage.
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Can Category be Changed in JoSAA?
JoSAA’s official portal provides certificate formats for category change, including forms like FORM-CATEGORY CHANGE FROM OBC-NCL and GEN-EWS to GENERAL for 2025. This implies category changes are possible during the registration phase, before seat allotment and document verification.
However, JoSAA emphasize that once choice filling is completed and counselling has begun, category changes are not allowed. In other words, changes must be finalized before you lock in your choices, during the initial registration window.
Steps to Change Category in JoSAA
Students can attempt category change only during registration (before counselling begins). This is how to do it:
Download the correct form (“CATEGORY CHANGE FROM OBC-NCL and GEN-EWS to GENERAL 2025”) from the JoSAA portal
Fill and sign the form, including your roll number, old category, and that you agree to change to another category.
Upload it during online registration, before choice-filling deadline.
Document verification will confirm if you're eligible for the new category during seat allocation.
Note: Students can’t change into Gen-EWS unless they declare and have valid EWS proof when registering for JEE Main/Advanced.
What If I Miss the Deadline for Changing Category in JoSAA?
Once the student starts the choice filling process and the JoSAA counselling officially begins, it is no longer possible to change the reservation category. This means that if a student made a mistake or wants to update their category—such as changing from OBC-NCL to General—they will not be allowed to do so after this stage.
If a student tries to submit a new category certificate or make any changes during the document verification stage, it will most likely be rejected. JoSAA has a strict rule that only the category mentioned during registration will be considered valid, and any changes must be made before counselling starts.
In case the student fails to provide a valid reservation certificate—like an OBC-NCL or Gen-EWS certificate that matches the required format and is within the validity period—JoSAA will automatically cancel the reserved status. The student will then be considered under the General category, and their seat will be allotted accordingly. So, if someone applied under OBC-NCL but doesn’t have proper documentation, they will lose the reservation benefit and be treated as a General category candidate during the entire admission process.
Important Guidelines for Changing Category in JoSAA
To help students understand theprocess of cateogry change in JoSAA clearly, here’s a step-by-step overview of when category changes are allowed, and what actions JoSAA takes depending on the stage of the counselling process. Each stage—before registration ends, after choice filling begins, and during document verification—comes with its own rules and outcomes. Understanding this timeline is essential for students who wish to correct their category without affecting their admission chances.
Step | Allowed? | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
Before registration ends | Yes | Download & submit category change form during registration |
After choice filling begins | No | Category change is closed; JoSAA enforces based on submitted documents |
During verification | No (auto change) | JoSAA downgrades invalid categories to General automatically |
In conclusion, changing reservation category in JoSAA is possible, but ONLY if done early during registration and before choice filling. Trying after counselling starts is not allowed. JoSAA will enforce valid category tags based on your uploaded certificates—invalid ones will be downgraded to General.
So, students who are thinking of changing your category, make sure it's legal, timely, and documented properly. If they’re past the counselling deadline, the best bet is to accept their current status and focus on seat allotment.
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FAQs
The overarching advice for students considering a category change in JoSAA is to act promptly, legally, and with proper documentation. A category change is only feasible if executed early during the registration process, strictly before the choice filling period begins. Attempting to make changes after the counselling rounds have commenced is not permitted. It is essential for students to use the official forms provided by JoSAA for any category changes and ensure that all supporting documents are valid, meet the required format, and are submitted within the specified deadlines. If a student has passed the counselling deadline for category changes or is unable to provide valid documentation, their best course of action is to accept their current category status and focus on the seat allotment process under those conditions.
Understanding the precise timeline for category changes in JoSAA is paramount because category selection significantly impacts a student's eligibility for seat allotment under reserved quotas. JoSAA offers limited flexibility for changes, but only at very specific stages. As outlined, changes are only allowed before registration ends. Once choice filling begins, category changes are strictly disallowed. During document verification, if a submitted certificate is found invalid, JoSAA will automatically downgrade the candidate's category to General. Therefore, failing to correct a category within the allowed timeframe or submitting invalid documentation can lead to the loss of reservation benefits and a subsequent change in seat allocation status, potentially affecting a student's chances of securing a desired seat.
Once the choice filling process commences and JoSAA counselling officially begins, it is no longer possible to change the reservation category. If a student attempts to submit a new or updated category certificate during the document verification stage after this deadline, it is highly likely to be rejected. JoSAA maintains a strict policy that only the category declared during the initial registration will be considered valid. In cases where a student fails to provide a valid reservation certificate (e.g., an OBC-NCL or Gen-EWS certificate that does not meet the required format or validity period), JoSAA will automatically cancel their reserved status. Such students will then be considered under the General category for all subsequent seat allocations, losing any reservation benefits they might have initially claimed.
Students can attempt a category change only during the registration period, which is before the commencement of the counselling process. To do so, they need to download the appropriate form, such as "CATEGORY CHANGE FROM OBC-NCL and GEN-EWS to GENERAL 2025," from the official JoSAA portal. This form must be accurately filled out, signed, and include details like the student's roll number and old category, along with an agreement to change to the new category. The completed form then needs to be uploaded during the online registration, strictly before the choice-filling deadline. It's crucial to note that candidates cannot change their category to Gen-EWS unless they had declared and possessed valid EWS proof during their JEE Main/Advanced registration. The final eligibility for the new category will be confirmed during the document verification stage of seat allocation.
While JoSAA does allow for category changes in specific circumstances, the process is governed by strict rules and deadlines. Official JoSAA documents, such as "FORM-CATEGORY CHANGE FROM OBC-NCL and GEN-EWS to GENERAL for 2025," indicate that category changes are possible. However, this flexibility is primarily limited to the initial registration phase. JoSAA's FAQs explicitly state that once the choice filling process is completed and counselling rounds have officially begun, category changes are generally not permitted. This means any modifications to a student's reservation category, whether due to missing certificates, changes in eligibility, or personal preference, must be finalized within the initial registration window before choices are locked.
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