New Delhi:
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has instructed candidates appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 to verify their identity proof submitted in PDF format during the registration process. The verification must be completed on or before January 15, 2026.

According to an official notification issued by the NTA, some candidates had registered using identity documents other than Aadhaar. In several instances, the live photographs captured during the application process did not match the photographs available in the UIDAI records.

The notification stated, “Certain candidates registered using identity proof documents other than the Aadhaar Card. In some cases, the live photographs captured by the candidates during the application process did not match with the photographs as per records available with UIDAI.”

To address this issue, the NTA has provided affected candidates with an opportunity to verify their identity by uploading a signed and attested certificate, along with a recent photograph duly certified by the school or college principal or headmaster.

Further, the NTA acknowledged grievances from candidates who were unable to access the prescribed verifying authorities. Taking this into account, the agency has now allowed candidates to obtain attestation from a Class-I Gazetted Officer, including officials such as a Tehsildar, Revenue Officer, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), District Magistrate (DM), or a Class-I Gazetted Officer of the Indian Embassy in the case of NRI candidates.

The JEE Main 2026 examination is scheduled to begin on January 21, 2026, while the city intimation slip is expected to be released in the first week of January. Based on their performance, qualified candidates will be eligible for admission to undergraduate engineering and architecture programmes.

JEE Main is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the NTA for students seeking admission to undergraduate engineering and architecture courses in India. The examination is used for admissions to NITs, IIITs, CFTIs, and several other engineering institutions. It also serves as the qualifying examination for JEE Advanced, which is mandatory for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The test primarily evaluates candidates in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics and is typically conducted twice a year in online mode, giving students an opportunity to improve their scores.