Joint Entrance Examination, JEE Main 2026 January session is weeks away. While students are getting ready to appear for the examination, emails from National Testing Agency, NTA have left many confused and concerned. Many students have reported receiving email from NTA seeking further documentary evidence of identity.
In the reported instance, many students (allegedly over a thousand students) have received emails from the testing agency, asking students to upload a photo identification certificate. Reportedly, the students are required to get their photo-id certified by their respective school Principals and upload the document. This email has reportedly been sent to students who registered using their PAN Card or DigiLocker, Passport.
Even students who registered using their Aadhaar Card, emails have been received seeking reverification of their ‘live’ photo. This year NTA had introduced live photo verification step with UIDAI or Aadhaar. The email states that their photo was not matched with the database and needs to be verified again. NTA has reportedly given time till January 7 to students to update their applications on the portal with the requires documentation.
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No Official notice on NTA Website leaves students confused
What has left students confused is the randomness of the entire activity. Many students were prompted to check their emails after their friends mentioned receiving such notices from the agency. Meanwhile, there is no official notice regarding this on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in. More importantly, the portal to update the information has not been re-opened as well.
With just weeks left, many students are feeling the panic of their applications being rejected. The schools have also closed for winter vacation in many parts of the country. While it is still possible for students to reach out to their respective school heads, the short time frame is causing concern.
Lack of official notification is also raising concerns over the veracity of the emails received. While the email is from an official email id, concerns are high over the random nature of re-verification.
As for the students who had applied using their Aadhaar card, many have confirmed that their live photo had been validated at the time.
What students ought to do
At present, there is still no official notice from NTA. We have reached NTA regarding the same and are waiting confirmation.
In the interim, parents and students are requested to check their email ids for any such emails. If they have received the email, it is advisable to get the documentation ready. Sending an email to NTA is also a suitable measure that students can take. The portal, if opens, will confirm the origin of the email.
JEE Main Exam
A record 14.10 lakh students have registered for the engineering entrance examination this year. This is also the first time NTA has used Aadhaar card for photo identification of its candidates.
The first session of JEE Main 2026 is scheduled to be conducted from January 21, 2026 till January 30, 2026. The exam city slips are likely to be released around January 10 and admit card will be subsequently released 4 days before exam day.