TNEA 2026 SCA to SC Conversion Counselling — Dates, Choice Filling & Vacancy
The short round that TNEA runs straight after supplementary counselling, in which SCA seats left unfilled are converted to SC and allotted to Scheduled Caste candidates. Choice filling is a single day — 9 September 2026.
TNEA 2026 SCA to SC conversion counselling schedule
Published by the Directorate of Technical Education, Chennai, in the TNEA 2026 Supplementary Counselling Schedule. It applies to all three streams the supplementary round covers — Academic, Govt. School 7.5% category and Vocational.
| Event | Proposed date |
|---|---|
| Choice filling | 09 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM – 07.00 PM) |
| Release of tentative allotment | 10 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM) |
| Confirmation of tentative allotment | 10 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM – 05.00 PM) |
| Release of provisional allotment | 11 Sep 2026 |
Tell us your cutoff or NEET score and our counsellors call you back with the colleges you can actually get — community-wise, with the seats still vacant. Takes 30 seconds.
What SCA to SC conversion actually means
Tamil Nadu reserves 18% of seats for Scheduled Castes, and inside that 18% there is a 3% preference for Arunthathiyars (SCA). SCA is therefore not a separate quota sitting beside SC — it is a first claim on part of the SC share.
Because the SCA pool of candidates is small, those 3% seats routinely finish a counselling season only part-filled. Rather than let them lapse, the rule converts the unfilled SCA seats back to SC, and DoTE runs this short round so SC candidates in the supplementary rank list can claim them. For the student nothing else changes: the same college, the same branch, the same fee, the same degree — only the category the seat is counted under.
Who should be watching for it: SC candidates in the TNEA 2026 supplementary rank list who are still without an allotment. Log in to tneaonline.org on 9 September — if you are called, the choice-filling link is enabled in your login.
How SCA vacancy moved through TNEA 2026
SCA was the slowest-moving community of the season. Across the three main rounds only about 42% of the SCA seats vacant after Round 1 were taken — against 89% of OC seats over the same three rounds. That gap is precisely why a conversion round is needed.
| Stage | General quota | Govt school 7.5% | Total SCA vacant |
|---|---|---|---|
| After Round 1 | 5,341 | 429 | 5,770 |
| After Round 2 | 4,778 | 258 | 5,036 |
| After Round 3 (pool for supplementary & conversion) | 3,350 | 20 | 3,370 |
District-wise SCA seat vacancy after Round 3
SCA seats are spread thin — 33 districts, 386 colleges, and no single district holds more than a sixth of them. If you are willing to move district, your choice list gets much longer. The three tables that follow cover the general quota (3,350 seats), which is where all but 20 of the SCA seats sit.
| District | Colleges with SCA seats | SCA seats vacant | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | 44 | 475 | 14.2% |
| Kanyakumari | 28 | 311 | 9.3% |
| Coimbatore | 43 | 285 | 8.5% |
| Kancheepuram | 24 | 255 | 7.6% |
| Tiruchirappalli | 19 | 192 | 5.7% |
| Namakkal | 20 | 181 | 5.4% |
| Tiruvallur | 17 | 151 | 4.5% |
| Tirunelveli | 18 | 148 | 4.4% |
| Salem | 16 | 130 | 3.9% |
| Viluppuram | 15 | 128 | 3.8% |
| Virudhunagar | 10 | 103 | 3.1% |
| Pudukkottai | 11 | 96 | 2.9% |
| Dindigul | 11 | 88 | 2.6% |
| Erode | 13 | 78 | 2.3% |
| Thanjavur | 8 | 71 | 2.1% |
| Madurai | 9 | 63 | 1.9% |
| Sivaganga | 6 | 57 | 1.7% |
| Nagapattinam | 5 | 54 | 1.6% |
| Thoothukudi | 10 | 53 | 1.6% |
| Cuddalore | 8 | 52 | 1.6% |
| Vellore | 11 | 51 | 1.5% |
| Tiruvannamalai | 7 | 50 | 1.5% |
| Dharmapuri | 4 | 46 | 1.4% |
| Krishnagiri | 3 | 43 | 1.3% |
| Tiruppur | 5 | 42 | 1.3% |
| Perambalur | 3 | 30 | 0.9% |
| Theni | 3 | 25 | 0.7% |
| Ariyalur | 3 | 20 | 0.6% |
| Karur | 4 | 20 | 0.6% |
| Tiruvarur | 2 | 19 | 0.6% |
| Ramanathapuram | 4 | 18 | 0.5% |
| Nilgiris | 1 | 9 | 0.3% |
| Chengalpattu | 1 | 6 | 0.2% |
Branch-wise SCA seat vacancy after Round 3
The branches that close first in the open categories are still open here. Computer Science, IT and AI & Data Science together account for a large share of the SCA seats left — branches that are effectively unreachable in OC at this stage of counselling.
| Branch | Colleges offering it | SCA seats vacant |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science and Engineering | 291 | 645 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | 271 | 452 |
| Artificial Intelligence and Data Science | 229 | 388 |
| Information Technology | 209 | 379 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 258 | 358 |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 231 | 285 |
| Civil Engineering | 148 | 160 |
| Computer Science and Engineering (Cyber Security) | 90 | 111 |
| Computer Science and Engineering (AI and Machine Learning) | 85 | 106 |
| Bio Medical Engineering | 66 | 90 |
| Computer Science and Business Systems | 44 | 54 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 32 | 41 |
| Bio Technology | 21 | 23 |
| Mechatronics Engineering | 19 | 22 |
| Aeronautical Engineering | 18 | 20 |
| Electronics Engineering (VLSI Design and Technology) | 17 | 18 |
| Chemical Engineering | 13 | 16 |
| Automobile Engineering | 12 | 13 |
| Food Technology | 9 | 12 |
| Robotics and Automation | 12 | 12 |
| Computer Science and Engineering (Internet of Things) | 7 | 10 |
| Mechanical Engineering (Tamil Medium) | 10 | 10 |
| Computer Science and Design | 8 | 9 |
| Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | 6 | 8 |
| Computer Science and Engineering(Artificial Intelligence) | 3 | 8 |
Colleges with the most SCA seats left after Round 3
Top 30 by SCA seats vacant. The college code is the TNEA code you use while filling choices.
| # | Code | College | District | SCA seats vacant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1322 | Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan College of Engineering and Technology | Kancheepuram | 36 |
| 2 | 1419 | Sri Sai Ram Engineering College (Autonomous) | Chennai | 36 |
| 3 | 2634 | Excel Engineering College (Autonomous) | Namakkal | 32 |
| 4 | 1210 | Panimalar Engineering College (Autonomous) | Chennai | 29 |
| 5 | 1317 | St. Joseph's College of Engineering (Autonomous) | Chennai | 27 |
| 6 | 2727 | Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology (Autonomous) | Coimbatore | 25 |
| 7 | 1452 | PERI Institute of Technology (Autonomous) | Chennai | 24 |
| 8 | 2610 | Muthayammal Engineering College (Autonomous) | Namakkal | 24 |
| 9 | 1126 | JNN Institute of Engineering (Autonomous) | Tiruvallur | 23 |
| 10 | 2726 | SNS College of Technology (Autonomous) | Coimbatore | 23 |
| 11 | 2611 | Paavai Engineering College (Autonomous) | Namakkal | 22 |
| 12 | 2601 | Adhiyamaan College of Engineering (Autonomous) | Krishnagiri | 21 |
| 13 | 4917 | Sethu Institute of Technology (Autonomous) | Virudhunagar | 21 |
| 14 | 4978 | Udaya School of Engineering | Kanyakumari | 21 |
| 15 | 3810 | MAM College of Engineering | Tiruchirappalli | 20 |
| 16 | 1207 | Kings Engineering College (Autonomous) | Kancheepuram | 19 |
| 17 | 1412 | Mailam Engineering College | Viluppuram | 19 |
| 18 | 1431 | New Prince Shri Bhavani College of Engineering and Technology (Autonomous) | Chennai | 19 |
| 19 | 2621 | Er. Perumal Manimekalai College of Engineering (Autonomous) | Krishnagiri | 19 |
| 20 | 2708 | Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology(Autonomous) | Coimbatore | 19 |
| 21 | 3806 | E.G.S. Pillay Engineering College (Autonomous) | Nagapattinam | 19 |
| 22 | 1413 | Sri Venkateswaraa College of Technology(Autonomous) | Kancheepuram | 18 |
| 23 | 2639 | R P Sarathy Institute of Technology (Autonomous) | Salem | 18 |
| 24 | 3805 | Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Engineering College (Autonomous) | Perambalur | 18 |
| 25 | 4925 | Sun College of Engineering and Technology | Kanyakumari | 18 |
| 26 | 5832 | N.P.R College of Engineering and Technology (Autonomous) | Dindigul | 18 |
| 27 | 1202 | DMI College of Engineering (Autonomous) | Chennai | 17 |
| 28 | 1219 | Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering (Autonomous) | Kancheepuram | 17 |
| 29 | 4677 | Arunachala Hitech Engineering College (formerly Lourdes Mount College of Engineering and Technology) | Kanyakumari | 17 |
| 30 | 4928 | Mar Ephraem College of Engineering and Technology | Kanyakumari | 17 |
This is the top of a list of 386 colleges. For the community-wise position of every college and branch, open the seat matrix in the free TNEA finder below.
The govt school 7.5% quota
The 7.5% quota is all but exhausted. After Round 3 it had 31 seats left in the whole state — 20 SCA and 11 ST, and nothing at all in OC, BC, BCM, MBC or SC. Government-school candidates still without a seat should treat the general pool as the real option, but it costs nothing to check your login on 9 September.
How to use the one-day window
- Fill in the morning, not the evening. The window is 10.00 AM to 7.00 PM on a single day and the portal is at its busiest in the last two hours. Nothing is gained by waiting.
- Keep 10 September free. The tentative allotment is released at 10.00 AM and confirmation closes at 5.00 PM — seven hours, on a working day. Decide in advance what you will accept.
- Do not filter down to two or three choices. This is the last round in the published TNEA 2026 calendar; a long, honest list is what converts into a seat. Add every college and branch you would actually join.
- Check the branch, not just the college. Where SCA seats survive is often a good branch in a mid-tier college rather than any branch in a top one.
- Keep your documents and fee ready. A provisional allotment on 11 September leaves very little time before the college reporting formalities.
- Confirm every date on tneaonline.org. DoTE labels this schedule as proposed and has revised dates during the 2026 season.
Open the TNEA college finder, switch to the 📊 SEAT MATRIX tab and filter by district, college and branch — community-wise seats still vacant after Round 3, in both the General and Govt 7.5% quota.
🎓 Open the TNEA College FinderB.Arch SCA to SC conversion counselling
B.Arch runs the same conversion one day behind the engineering round.
| Event | Proposed date |
|---|---|
| Choice filling | 10 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM – 07.00 PM) |
| Release of tentative allotment | 11 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM) |
| Confirmation of tentative allotment | 11 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM – 07.00 PM) |
| Release of provisional allotment | 12 Sep 2026 (10.00 AM) |
Frequently asked questions
What is SCA to SC conversion counselling in TNEA?
In Tamil Nadu the 3% Arunthathiyar (SCA) reservation is a preference inside the 18% Scheduled Caste quota, not a separate quota. SCA seats that are still unfilled once the SCA candidates in the rank list are exhausted are converted to SC and filled by Scheduled Caste candidates. TNEA holds a short separate round for exactly that conversion, immediately after supplementary counselling.
What is the TNEA 2026 SCA to SC conversion counselling schedule?
Choice filling is on 9 September 2026, 10.00 AM to 7.00 PM — a single day. The tentative allotment is released on 10 September at 10.00 AM and must be confirmed the same day by 5.00 PM. The provisional allotment is released on 11 September 2026. These are DoTE's proposed dates.
Who can take part in TNEA SCA to SC conversion counselling?
Candidates in the SC category who are in the TNEA 2026 supplementary rank list and have not yet taken a seat. The round exists to fill converted SCA seats, so it is called only for the categories affected by the conversion. Check your login on tneaonline.org — if you are called, the choice-filling link is enabled for you on 9 September.
How many SCA seats were vacant in TNEA 2026 after Round 3?
As per the DoTE vacancy position after Round 3, 3,370 SCA seats were vacant — 3,350 in the general quota and 20 in the govt school 7.5% quota — spread over 386 colleges, 66 branches and 33 districts. Part of that pool is taken by the supplementary round that allots on 7 and 9 September, so the conversion round starts from what is left of it.
Which district has the most vacant SCA seats?
Chennai has the most with 475 SCA seats, followed by Kanyakumari (311) and Coimbatore (285).
Which branches have the most SCA seats left?
Computer Science and Engineering has the most with 645 SCA seats vacant, then Electronics and Communication Engineering (452) and Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (388). Because SCA is the slowest-moving community in TNEA, the branches that are effectively closed in OC — CSE, IT and AI & Data Science — still have seats here.
Why do SCA seats stay vacant when other communities are full?
SCA is the smallest community pool in TNEA, so the number of SCA candidates in the rank list is far smaller than the 3% of seats reserved for them. In 2026 the SCA vacancy fell from 5,770 after Round 1 to only 3,370 after Round 3 — about 42% taken, against 89% for OC. That gap is the reason the conversion round exists.
Is the govt school 7.5% quota part of the conversion round?
Only just. After Round 3 the 7.5% govt school quota had 31 seats left in total — 20 SCA and 11 ST. The DoTE schedule lists Academic, Govt. School 7.5% and Vocational together for the conversion round, so 7.5% candidates who are still without a seat should log in and check on 9 September.
What should I do in the one-day choice-filling window?
Fill choices on the morning of 9 September, not the evening. List every college and branch you would actually join — a converted seat is a real seat with the same fee and the same degree — and keep the whole of 10 September free, because the tentative allotment has to be confirmed by 5.00 PM the same day it is released.
Is there a separate SCA to SC round for B.Arch?
Yes, one day behind. B.Arch SCA to SC choice filling is on 10 September 2026, 10.00 AM to 7.00 PM, tentative allotment on 11 September (confirm by 7.00 PM) and provisional allotment on 12 September 2026 at 10.00 AM.
Source
Schedule: Directorate of Technical Education, Chennai — TNEA 2026 Supplementary Counselling Schedule (page 2, SCA to SC Conversion Counselling Schedule) and the B.Arch Supplementary Schedule 2026, published on tneaonline.org. Seat figures: DoTE's own round-wise vacancy statements (academic vacancy position after Rounds 1, 2 and 3, general and govt school 7.5%), read college-by-college and branch-by-branch. DoTE lists these dates as proposed — confirm on the official portal before acting.
Related guides: TNEA 2026 Supplementary Counselling · TNEA Vacancy After Round 3 · TNEA 2026 (தமிழ்) · TNEA College Finder