JEE Main 2026: Students will be able to choose an exam center in their preferred city, and e-KYC will also be required; knownew rules

JEE Main 2026: Several rules have been implemented to make the JEE Main 2026 exam system transparent and convenient for students. Under these rules, students will have the opportunity to choose an exam center in their preferred city.

JEE Main 2026: The JEE Main 2026 admission process for engineering courses has begun. The National Testing Agency has implemented several rules to make the exam system transparent and convenient for students. Under these rules, students will have the opportunity to choose an exam center in their preferred city. New systems like e-KYC and live photo upload have also been implemented.

So, let us tell you today how students will be able to choose an exam center in their preferred city for JEE Main 2026 and how e-KYC will be implemented for this.

Students will be assigned an exam center in their preferred city.

This time, the NTA has attempted to ensure that each student has the option to choose from four cities based on their permanent and current addresses. For example, if a student's permanent address is Uttar Pradesh and current address is Delhi, they will receive a list of cities in both states from which they can choose four of their choice. According to the NTA, as far as possible, students will be assigned exam cities in the cities they selected so they don't have to travel too far from their homes. This is why the number of exam cities has been increased from 219 to 323 this time.

Live photos will be uploaded in the online form.

Furthermore, to prevent any malpractice during the exam, the NTA has implemented a live photo upload rule. Students will now be required to upload both a live photograph and a recently scanned photo when filling out the form. Previously, students would upload photos that were several years old, which created identification difficulties. However, with the live photo rule, the system will alert students if the two photos do not match. Therefore, students must ensure they upload a recent color photograph with a clear face.

Identification through the e-KYC system

This year, the e-KYC system has also been implemented in JEE Main 2026. Candidates will be digitally identified through Aadhaar authentication. Information such as name, date of birth, and photo will be verified with the UIDAI's Central Identity Data Repository. Students must ensure there is no mismatch between their Aadhaar card and their Class 10 certificate. Furthermore, the NTA has clarified that no student should fill out multiple application forms. Action may be taken against candidates found guilty of doing so. It has also been advised to carefully fill in their email ID and mobile number in the application form.

When will the exams be held?

The JEE Main 2026 exams will be held in two phases. Applications for the first phase can be submitted until November 27th, with the final exam scheduled between January 21st and 30th. The results will be declared by February 12th. Registration for the second phase of the exam will begin in the last week of January, and the exam will be held between April 1st and 10th. After both phases, the final results will be declared by April 20th.