🚀 Space Science · ISRO Gateway · Kerala Campus
IIST Admission 2026 CSE NEW
ഇന്ത്യയുടെ ബഹിരാകാശ ഗവേഷണ ലക്ഷ്യങ്ങൾക്കുള്ള ഏകമാർഗം -IIST (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology), Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Department of Space, Government of India-ന്റെ Deemed University. JEE Advanced 2026 അടിസ്ഥാനത്തിൽ B.Tech Aerospace Engineering, B.Tech Avionics (ECE), B.Tech CSE (Data Science) 🆕, Dual Degree (Engineering Physics + MTech/MS) — ആകെ 174 സീറ്റ്. CGPA 7.0-നു മുകളിൽ ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ ISRO Scientist/Engineer-SC ആകാം! JEE Advanced Exam: May 17, 2026. IIST Counselling: June–July 2026 (iist.ac.in-ൽ separately apply ചെയ്യണം — JoSAA-യിൽ ഉൾപ്പെടുന്നില്ല).
Official — Source: iist.ac.in (Announcements Page Updated for 2025–26 Admission)
IIST conducts its own independent counselling at admission.iist.ac.in — completely separate from JoSAA. Must apply on IIST portal within ~2 weeks after JEE Advanced results (June 2026). JEE Advanced 2026: Reg. April 23–May 2 | Exam May 17, 2026 (IIT Roorkee). Official IIST cut-off marks for JEE Advanced 2025: General — 72 aggregate / 6 each subject. New programme: B.Tech CSE (Data Science) from 2024 batch.
JEE Adv Reg.
23 Apr–2 May
JEE Adv Exam
17 May 2026
JEE Adv Result
June 2026
IIST Apply By
~9 June 2026
Total UG Seats
174
ISRO Recruits/yr
40–45
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Why IIST? — Asia's Only Space Science University
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Exclusive ISRO Recruitment Gateway
B.Tech/Dual Degree students with CGPA ≥7.0 at end of 6th/8th semester are eligible for ISRO Scientist/Engineer-SC placement interview — a pathway available at no other college in India.
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Dept. of Space, Govt. of India
Deemed University under UGC Act, functioning under DoS, GOI. Established 2007. Nominated as Institution of National Importance (Sep 2025). Adjacent to VSSC & LPSC — India's premier space centres.
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Lowest Fee — Highest Value
Total B.Tech tuition: ₹5.53 Lakhs for 4 years (~₹1.38L/year). Need-based full fee waiver for family income below ₹5L/year. Merit scholarship: top 5 Gen students with AIR ≤1000 get full Year 1 fee waiver.
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Top 100 Globally — THE 2026
Ranked among top 100 Universities globally in THE Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026. MoUs with Caltech (USA), TU Delft (Netherlands), Cambridge (UK), NTU Singapore. Satish Dhawan Fellowship to Caltech available.
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Kerala Campus — VSSC Neighbour
100-acre residential campus at Valiamala, Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala — right next to VSSC and LPSC. Kerala students, SC/ST/EWS all benefit from government scholarships and E-Grantz portal.
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NEP 2020 Curriculum + New CSE Branch
NEP-2020 aligned B.Tech programmes from 2024 batch. New B.Tech CSE (Data Science) added. Credited ISRO centre internships integrated into curriculum. Dual Degree offers 4 deep-space research specialisations.
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About IIST — Established 2007 | India's Only Space UniversityIIST's 100-acre residential campus at Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram was inaugurated by PM Manmohan Singh on August 25, 2009. Seven departments: Aerospace Engineering, Avionics, Chemistry, Earth & Space Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics. Facilities: Astronomical Observatory, advanced research labs (wind tunnel, propulsion lab, RF & microwave lab, VLSI lab), modern library, 11 hostels, two mess halls. Student strength: ~1,250+ (B.Tech + Dual + M.Tech + PhD as on March 2024). ISRO and ESA held a joint data workshop at IIST in January 2026 on Aditya-L1 and Proba-3 missions — demonstrating its active research status at the global level.
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Programmes via IIST Admission 2026
NEP 2020🛸 B.Tech Aerospace Engineering
Duration4 Years (8 Semesters)
Total Seats75 (all categories)
Admission BasisJEE Advanced % marks
ISRO PathwayCGPA ≥7.0 after 6th sem
2025 Gen Closing ~%~35–38% of JEE Adv total
Total Tuition (4 yr)₹5.53 Lakhs
📡 B.Tech Avionics (ECE)
Full NameElectronics & Comm. Engg (Avionics)
Duration4 Years (8 Semesters)
Total Seats75 (all categories)
ISRO PathwayCGPA ≥7.0 after 6th sem
2025 Gen Closing ~%~35–38% of JEE Adv total
Total Tuition (4 yr)₹5.53 Lakhs
💻 B.Tech CSE (Data Science) 🆕
Full NameComputer Sci. & Engg – Data Science
Duration4 Years (NEP 2020)
Offered From2024 Batch (New Programme)
Total Seats~24 seats (limited)
Closing % (2025)Slightly higher than AE/Avionics
Total Tuition (4 yr)₹5.53 Lakhs
🔭 Dual Degree — B.Tech EP + PG
B.Tech BaseEngineering Physics (EP)
Duration5 Years
Total Seats24 seats (all categories)
PG SpecialisationsMS Astronomy & Astrophysics | MTech Earth System Science | MTech Optical Engineering | MTech Solid State Physics
ISRO PathwayCGPA ≥7.0 after 8th sem
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ISRO Absorption Policy — Official IIST Brochure Statement
Per the official IIST admission brochure: Students securing CGPA ≥7.0 at end of 6th (B.Tech) / 8th (Dual Degree) semester are eligible for an ISRO HQ-organised placement interview for Scientist/Engineer-SC recruitment. Eligible candidates are interviewed by an ISRO Expert Committee. Postings to ISRO Centres/Units are notified by ISRO HQ. This applies to Aerospace, Avionics and Dual Degree (Astronomy & Astrophysics, Earth System Science, Solid State Physics, Optical Engineering). Note: Not all graduates are guaranteed ISRO absorption — it is subject to vacancies notified by ISRO/DoS for that year.
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No JoSAA | No Management Quota | No NRI Seats
IIST has zero management quota, zero NRI reservation, and does not participate in JoSAA. All 174 seats fill purely through IIST's independent merit counselling at admission.iist.ac.in. The application window is typically only 10–14 days after JEE Advanced results. If you miss registering on iist.ac.in within that window, you cannot get a seat that year — even with an excellent JEE Advanced rank.
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Important Dates — JEE Advanced 2026 & IIST Admission
Official📋 JEE Advanced 2026 — IIT Roorkee | Gateway to IIST
JEE Main 2026 Session 1 (for eligibility)Jan 22–30, 2026 ✓ Done
JEE Main 2026 Session 2April 2026 (nta.ac.in)
JEE Advanced 2026 — Registration Opens23 April 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 — Registration Last Date2 May 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 — Admit Card Download~12 May 2026 (est.)
🎯 JEE Advanced 2026 — Examination (Both Papers)17 May 2026 (Sunday)
JEE Advanced 2026 — Answer Key ReleaseLate May 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 — Result AnnouncementJune 2026
🏛 IIST 2026 — Independent Counselling (admission.iist.ac.in)
IIST UG Application Portal OpensShortly after JEE Adv Result — June 2026
Last Date to Register on IIST Portal~9 June 2026 (est. based on 2025: June 9)
IIST Admission Rank List PublishedWithin days of application close
Seat Allotment Rounds (FREEZE / SLIDE option)July 2026 — Multiple rounds
First Semester Fee Payment (Seat Acceptance)As per each round's deadline (portal)
Spot Admission Rounds (If seats vacant)August 2026
Online Document VerificationAfter seat acceptance (online)
Report to IIST Campus, ValiamalaAugust–September 2026
IIST Application Registration Fee~₹200 (non-refundable, check portal)
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Critical Warning — IIST Is NOT Part of JoSAA Counselling
IIST does NOT participate in JoSAA or CSAB. You will not get an IIST seat via JoSAA even with a valid JEE Advanced rank. You must separately visit admission.iist.ac.in and register within the ~2-week window after JEE Advanced results. Missing this window = no IIST seat that year. Set a reminder for JEE Advanced result day and check iist.ac.in immediately on result day.
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Eligibility Criteria — IIST 2026 (Official)
1
JEE Advanced 2026 — Mandatory Qualifier
Candidates must qualify JEE Advanced 2026 (IIT Roorkee). First, be among the top 2,50,000 rank holders in JEE Main 2026 Paper-1. IIST admission is based purely on JEE Advanced percentage marks — no separate IIST entrance test exists.
- Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of JEE Advanced are mandatory — absence from either = disqualification
- Maximum 2 attempts at JEE Advanced allowed (in two consecutive years)
- Register at jeeadv.ac.in (April 23 – May 2, 2026)
2
Class 12 Marks — Official IIST Requirement
As per official IIST admission brochure (source: iist.ac.in):
- General / EWS / OBC-NCL: Minimum 75% aggregate marks in Class 12 Board exam
- SC / ST / PwD: Minimum 65% aggregate marks in Class 12 Board exam
- Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics are compulsory subjects in Class 12
- Candidates appearing in Class 12 in 2026 may apply provisionally — must meet criteria before final admission
- Accepted boards: All boards equivalent to CBSE (details in IIST brochure)
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Official IIST Minimum Marks in JEE Advanced — 2025 Data (Expected Similar for 2026)
IIST sets its own minimum marks threshold in JEE Advanced for eligibility to register for IIST counselling. The following are the official cutoff marks published on iist.ac.in for JEE Advanced 2025:
| Category | Min. Marks — Physics | Min. Marks — Chemistry | Min. Marks — Mathematics | Min. Aggregate Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 6 | 6 | 6 | 72 |
| EWS / OBC-NCL | 5 | 5 | 5 | 65 |
| SC / ST / PwD | 3 | 3 | 3 | 36 |
★ Source: iist.ac.in/admission/undergraduate-admissions-announcements (Official IIST Cut-off Marks in JEE Advanced 2025). These are minimum eligibility marks to register for IIST counselling — actual admission closing marks are much higher (~126–137 marks out of 360 for General category).
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Age Limit — JEE Advanced 2026
- General / EWS / OBC-NCL: Born on or after October 1, 2001
- SC / ST / PwD: Born on or after October 1, 1996 (5-year relaxation)
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Category, Tie-Breaking & Key Rules
- Category is FINAL — category as entered in JEE Advanced database is used for IIST rank list; no changes entertained
- Tie-breaking order: (1) Higher JEE Advanced marks in Mathematics → (2) Higher marks in Physics → (3) Higher JEE Main 2026 rank in same category
- EWS seats (per IIST brochure): 6 Aerospace + 6 Avionics + 2 Dual Degree = 14 EWS seats in core programmes (10% of total strength)
- PMSSS (J&K): Supernumerary seats in Aerospace and Avionics — additional, not counted in 174
- No NRI quota | No management quota | No state quota — GoI reservation categories ONLY
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Seat Matrix — IIST UG Programmes (2025–26 Basis)
174 Total| Programme | Gen. | EWS* | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Tech Aerospace Engineering | ~34 | 6* | ~20 | ~13 | ~6 | 75+ |
| B.Tech Avionics (ECE) | ~32 | 6* | ~19 | ~12 | ~6 | 75+ |
| B.Tech CSE (Data Science) 🆕 | ~11 | ~3 | ~7 | ~4 | ~2 | ~24–27 |
| Dual Degree (B.Tech EP + MTech/MS) | ~10 | 2* | ~6 | ~4 | ~3 | 24 |
| GRAND TOTAL | ~174 | |||||
* EWS = 10% of total strength per branch as per IIST brochure. PMSSS (J&K supernumerary) seats for Aerospace & Avionics are additional. PwD: 5% horizontal reservation within each category. Women: supernumerary seats as per GoI directive to ensure ≥20% female representation. Final 2026 seat matrix will be published on admission.iist.ac.in after JEE Advanced results.
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Cutoff Reference — IIST Admission Closing Marks (Estimated)
% Based
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IIST Uses JEE Advanced % Marks — Not CRL Rank
Unlike JoSAA (which uses CRL rank), IIST prepares its own merit rank list based on percentage of JEE Advanced marks obtained. In 2025, General category admission closing percentage was approximately ~35–38% of JEE Advanced total marks (360 total = approximately 126–137 marks). This corresponds to a JEE Advanced CRL rank of roughly 10,000–15,000 depending on year's paper difficulty. The actual IIST 2026 closing cutoffs will be published on admission.iist.ac.in.
| Category | Approx. Admission Closing % (2025 est.) | Approx. Marks out of 360 | Approx. CRL Rank Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | ~35–38% | ~126–137 | ~10,000–15,000 CRL |
| EWS | ~32–34% | ~115–123 | ~15,000–20,000 EWS rank |
| OBC-NCL | ~28–33% | ~101–119 | ~10,000–14,000 OBC rank |
| SC | ~18–22% | ~65–80 | ~7,000–10,000 SC rank |
| ST | ~15–18% | ~54–65 | ~4,000–6,000 ST rank |
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Estimates Only — Official 2026 Cutoffs Published After JEE Advanced Results
Cutoff percentages are estimated from 2024–25 data. Actual 2026 IIST opening and closing percentages will be published at admission.iist.ac.in after JEE Advanced 2026 results (June 2026). These vary each year based on exam difficulty, number of applicants, and available seats. B.Tech CSE (Data Science) being newer and popular may close at a slightly higher percentage than Aerospace/Avionics.
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Fees & Scholarships — IIST 2026
| Fee Head | Per Semester | Per Year (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee | ~₹62,500 | ~₹1,25,000 |
| Hostel Charges | ~₹6,000 | ~₹12,000 |
| Mess / Catering | ~₹20,000–25,000 | ~₹40,000–50,000 |
| Other (library, sports, exam) | ~₹3,500–4,000 | ~₹7,000–8,000 |
| Total Estimated per Year | — | ~₹1.38–1.45 Lakhs |
| Total B.Tech (4 years) | — | ~₹5.53 Lakhs |
🏆 Scholarship A — Full Year 1 Fee Waiver
Top 5 students admitted with JEE Advanced AIR ≤ 1000 (General)
Full tuition fee waiver for Year 1 of study
As per official IIST brochure (confirmed from 2021–22 onwards)
🥈 Scholarship B — 50% Tuition Per Semester
UG/DD students securing CGPA ≥ 9.0 in a given semester
50% tuition fee waiver in the NEXT semester
Limited to top 10% of admitted students per programme
📉 Need-Based Fee Waiver
Family income below ₹5 Lakh/year: 100% tuition fee waiver
₹5–9 Lakh/year: ~66% tuition waiver
₹9–14 Lakh/year: ~33% tuition waiver (check IIST portal)
🌴 State & Central Scholarships
SC/ST Kerala: E-Grantz Portal + National Scholarship
OBC: Post-Matric Scholarship (Kerala Govt.)
General: Central Sector Scholarship (MHRD) for meritorious students
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Placement & ISRO — Median ₹11.64 Lakhs (2024)
In 2024, IIST's median placement package was ₹11,64,636. Top recruiters: ISRO (40–45 Scientist/Engineer positions directly), Texas Instruments, Mercedes-Benz, Infosys, CDAC, Agnikul Cosmos, Skyroot Aerospace, Pixxel, Analog Devices, Wipro, Bosch. With India's private space sector booming (Skyroot, Agnikul, Pixxel, Bellatrix Aerospace), IIST graduates are among the most sought-after aerospace and avionics engineers in the country. International research opportunities via Caltech Satish Dhawan Fellowship and TU Delft collaborations also available annually.
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How to Apply — IIST Admission 2026
1
Qualify JEE Main 2026 — Secure Top 2,50,000 Rank
Register at nta.ac.in for JEE Main 2026. Session 1 is done (Jan 2026); Session 2 is in April 2026. Score in the top 2,50,000 in JEE Main Paper-1 to become eligible to register for JEE Advanced 2026.
2
Register & Appear for JEE Advanced 2026 — 17 May 2026
Register at jeeadv.ac.in (April 23 – May 2, 2026). Pay registration fee. Download Admit Card. Appear for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 on May 17, 2026 (Sunday). Both papers are mandatory — missing either = disqualification. Result expected in June 2026.
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Apply on IIST Portal — IMMEDIATELY After JEE Advanced Results
The moment JEE Advanced 2026 results are announced (June 2026), visit admission.iist.ac.in. Register using your JEE Advanced Roll Number. Pay IIST registration fee (~₹200). The window is only ~10–14 days (in 2025: May 27 – June 9). This is completely separate from JoSAA. Do not delay even by a day.
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Check IIST Rank List & Enter Branch Preferences
IIST publishes its category-wise Admission Rank List. If eligible, enter branch preferences in order (all four can be listed):
- B.Tech Aerospace Engineering
- B.Tech Electronics & Communication Engineering (Avionics)
- B.Tech Computer Science & Engineering (Data Science)
- Dual Degree — Engineering Physics + MTech/MS
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Seat Allotment — Choose FREEZE or SLIDE
Multiple allotment rounds. When a seat is offered: FREEZE = accept seat, pay First Semester Fee, exit all further rounds. SLIDE = accept seat, pay fee, but remain in contention for higher-preference branch in next round. First Semester Fee must be paid by the round deadline — failure to pay = automatic cancellation. No late payments are accepted under any circumstances.
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Online Document Verification → Provisional Admit Card → Report to Campus
Upload documents online: Class 10 & 12 marksheets, JEE Advanced scorecard, category certificate (OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwD), photos, ID proof. Successful verification generates a Provisional Admit Card on the portal. Carry this when reporting physically to IIST campus at Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in August–September 2026. Any discrepancy found = admission cancelled.
🚀 Reach for the Stars — IIST Admission 2026!
JEE Advanced Registration: 23 Apr – 2 May 2026 ·
JEE Advanced Exam: 17 May 2026 (IIT Roorkee)
IIST Counselling: June–July 2026 at admission.iist.ac.in ·
174 Seats | Direct ISRO Pathway | Kerala Campus | ₹5.53L Total Fee
⚠️ All information compiled from official sources: iist.ac.in (official IIST JEE Advanced 2025 cut-off marks table — the authoritative source for eligibility cutoffs used in this page), old.iist.ac.in/admissions/undergraduate (ISRO absorption policy, EWS seats, scholarship policies), jeeadv.ac.in (JEE Advanced 2026 exam schedule), . Admission closing cutoffs (%) are estimates based on 2024–25 trends — official IIST 2026 data published after results at admission.iist.ac.in. Always verify at iist.ac.in before applying. Content is for educational guidance only. Visit careerlokam.blogspot.com for more career updates.