How Much Rank is Required for DASA?
How much Rank is Required for DASA: Lakhs of students living outside India aim to pursue an engineering degree from Indian colleges like NITs and IIITs. Such an opportunity is provided by the Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) scheme.
The scheme allows Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and Children of Indian Workers in Gulf (CIWG) countries to take admission into the engineering colleges of India.
Candidates wanting to study via the DASA scheme must know how much r ank is required for DASA. The JEE Mains Scores play an important role in determining admission under DASA.
How Much Rank is Required for DASA?
DASA (Direct Admission of Students Abroad) scheme is managed by the Government of India. It is conducted by one of the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) every year.
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It provides the foreign students and Indian-origin students living abroad a chance to study in India’s top colleges.
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Students are selected for admission based on their JEE Main ranks. Previously, DASA used SAT scores for admission. However, in the present times, the JEE Main is the only accepted exam.
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Under this scheme, students can apply for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programs in:
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National Institutes of Technology (NITs)
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Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)
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Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPAs)
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Other centrally funded technical institutions
DASA Rank Required
The rank required for DASA depends on the college and branch a candidate wants to join. Every IIT, NIT and other colleges release a cutoff list that provides details related to the closing ranks for admission. The DASA Rank required for admission to different institutes is as follows:
For Top NITs
Top NITs like NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, and NIT Warangal have very high cutoff ranks. Usually, students need to be among the top 20,000 – 35,000 ranks in JEE Main to get into top branches like Computer Science, Electronics, or Mechanical Engineering under DASA. For less competitive branches such as Civil or Biotechnology, the closing rank can go up to 60,000 or more.
For IIITs and SPAs
IIITs have a similar trend. IIIT Hyderabad and IIIT Allahabad require ranks within 30,000 for the top branches. SPAs (Schools of Planning and Architecture) usually accept students with JEE Paper 2 ranks within 40,000 – 50,000.
For CIWG Candidates
If you belong to the CIWG (Children of Indian Workers in the Gulf) category, your tuition fee is lower, but the competition is almost the same. The CIWG DASA rank cutoffs for top NITs are around 25,000 – 40,000, depending on the year and branch.
For NRI/OCI Applicants
NRI/OCI DASA Admission Rank is often slightly higher than the general DASA cutoff since fewer candidates compete in this category. A rank below 50,000 in JEE Main usually ensures a good chance of getting admission under DASA.
DASA Cut Off 2026
DASA 2026 cutoff will be the minimum JEE Main rank required to get a seat in your preferred college and course. It will depend on several factors, such as:
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Number of applicants applying under DASA 2026
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Total number of seats available for DASA and CIWG categories
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Difficulty level of the JEE Main 2026 exam
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Performance of students in that year
An estimated DASA Cut Off 2026 range based on the previous year's data is provided in the table below:
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DASA Cut Off 2026 |
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Institute |
Branch |
Expected DASA 2026 Closing Rank (JEE Main) |
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NIT Trichy |
Computer Science |
25,000 – 30,000 |
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NIT Warangal |
Electrical |
30,000 – 35,000 |
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NIT Surathkal |
Mechanical |
35,000 – 40,000 |
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IIIT Allahabad |
IT |
30,000 – 35,000 |
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NIT Calicut |
Civil |
45,000 – 50,000 |
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SPA Delhi |
Architecture |
40,000 – 50,000 |
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NIT Jaipur |
ECE |
30,000 – 40,000 |
DASA CutOff List
The DASA merit list is prepared using your JEE Main scores. The DASA seat allotment cutoff shows the last rank admitted to each program after each round of counselling. There are generally four rounds of seat allotment, followed by a spot round if seats remain vacant.
DASA Eligibility Rank
To apply for DASA 2026, candidates must meet certain eligibility and rank conditions. These are very important for candidates who want their application to be accepted. Some of the DASA Eligibility Rank conditions are provided below:
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DASA Eligibility Rank |
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Criteria |
Details |
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Academic Qualification |
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JEE Main Requirement |
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Nationality |
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Age Limit |
For undergraduate admission under DASA 2026, students born after October 1, 2000, are eligible. |
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Document Proof |
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How to Calculate DASA Rank?
DASA rank is the same as your JEE Main All India Rank (AIR). However, an applicant's admission chances depend on how their rank compares to the previous year's DASA cutoffs. To calculate the DASA Rank, candidates can do the following:
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Check the previous year DASA cutoffs for NITs and IIITs.
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Match the JEE Main rank with the closing rank of the desired branch.
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If a candidate’s rank is lower (better) than the cutoff, then he/she has a high chance of admission.
Why is JEE Main Rank Important for DASA?
JEE Main Score for DASA is the only factor used to decide a candidate’s admission. The applicants for Class 12 marks are only for eligibility, not for ranking. If a candidate wants to study in top institutes like NIT Surathkal, NIT Trichy, or IIIT Hyderabad, they should aim for a JEE Main rank within 25,000 – 30,000.
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A higher JEE Main score gives a lower All India Rank (AIR).
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The lower your rank, the better your chances of getting your preferred NIT or IIIT.
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The DASA UG rank requirement is competitive, so focus on JEE Main preparation early.
How Much Rank is Required for DASA FAQs
Q1: What is the minimum JEE Main rank required for DASA 2026?
Ans: The minimum JEE Main rank for DASA 2026 admission is usually around 30,000–40,000 for top NITs and IIITs. However, it can go up to 60,000 for less competitive branches like Civil or Biotechnology.
Q2: Is JEE Main mandatory for DASA admission?
Ans: Yes, appearing in the JEE Main exam is mandatory for DASA 2026. Earlier, SAT scores were accepted, but now only JEE Main scores are used for DASA admissions.
Q3: What rank do CIWG students need for admission under DASA?
Ans: CIWG candidates generally need a JEE Main rank between 25,000 and 40,000 to secure admission in top NITs or IIITs under the DASA scheme.
Q4: What factors determine the DASA cutoff every year?
Ans: The DASA cutoff depends on the number of applicants, available seats, exam difficulty level, and overall student performance in JEE Main for that year.
Q5: How is the DASA rank calculated for admission?
Ans: The DASA rank is the same as your JEE Main All India Rank (AIR). Admission chances depend on how your AIR compares with the previous year’s DASA cutoffs for your chosen college and branch.
DASA Admission for NRI Students 2026 requires JEE Main scores for UG and GRE/GMAT for PG admissions. Registration starts online at dasanit.org in June 2026, with 15% supernumerary seats and a CIWG quota. Tuition fees are around USD 4,000 per semester (USD 2,000 for CIWG), and counselling will be conducted online in July after JEE Main results.
