Having trouble with the live photo while filling out the UGC NET form? NTA shares 5 most effective tips..

UGC NET December 2026 Registration: The registration process for the UGC NET and Joint CSIR-UGC NET (December 2026) examinations—required for becoming an Assistant Professor or obtaining a Junior Research Fellowship in colleges and universities across the country—is currently underway. According to the latest data from the National Testing Agency (NTA), over 2.19 lakh candidates have registered for these examinations so far. This includes 1,86,301 registrations for the UGC NET and 32,660 for the CSIR-UGC NET.

Many candidates are encountering issues with the ‘live photo capturing’ requirement while filling out the UGC NET application form. To prevent malpractice, the NTA has made it mandatory to capture a live photograph using a webcam or a mobile camera. However, some candidates are unable to submit their forms due to poor lighting or technical issues with their webcams. If you are filling out the UGC NET or CSIR-NET application form at ugcnet.nta.nic.in, there is no need to panic; the NTA has provided a solution to this problem.

Facing issues with live photo capture?

Follow these 5 simple steps to resolve the problem:
The most common reasons for issues with the camera while filling out the online UGC NET form are browser cookies or a failure to grant camera access. According to NTA guidelines, you can successfully upload your photo by following these tips:

Ensure proper lighting on your face: The room should be well-lit so that your face is clearly visible.

Pay attention to the background: The background of the photo should be clean, uncluttered, and well-lit.

Only one face in the frame: The camera frame should contain only the candidate's face. The presence of other people in the background or to the side may cause an error. Clear your browser history and cache: If the photo still does not appear, clear the cache of your browser (e.g., Google Chrome) or update the browser.
Use Incognito Mode: Open an ‘Incognito Window’ in your browser, or try using a different browser (such as Microsoft Edge or Firefox).

Don’t wait until the last date; here are tips to avoid server crashes.
The NTA server tends to slow down significantly as the deadline for submitting the UGC NET application form approaches. Over 200,000 candidates have already registered, and traffic on the website is expected to increase in the coming days. Submit your form well in advance to avoid last-minute stress. If you are capturing a live photo using your laptop’s built-in webcam and the quality is poor, try logging into the NTA website via a smartphone browser. A smartphone’s front camera typically offers better resolution, which often ensures the photo is approved on the first attempt.
UGC NET & CSIR NET Registration: The NTA has shared registration statistics for both the UGC NET and CSIR NET.

For any assistance, please contact the NTA helpdesk.

The application form for the UGC NET December 2026 examination can be submitted until October 28, 2026. If you are still unable to capture a live photo or face difficulties in paying the fee even after following these technical measures suggested by the NTA, you may immediately contact the NTA helpdesk:
UGC-NET Helpdesk: ugcnet@nta.ac.in
CSIR-NET Helpdesk: csirnet@nta.ac.in
NTA Helpline Numbers: 011-40759000 / 011-69227700
Official Websites: ugcnet.nta.nic.in and csirnet.nta.nic.in
By keeping these simple improvements from the NTA in mind, you can complete your application form in just a few minutes. Submit your application well in time, ensure you follow all the guidelines for the live photo, and get started with your preparation for the UGC-NET examination!

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