JEE Main 2026: NTA extends deadline for photo verification certificate submission till January 15

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is holding the JEE (Main) 2026 examination in two sessions. The online registration for Session 1 was available between October 31 and November 27, 2025. After NTA scrutinized the application process, it was found that some of the candidates had given an identity proof other than Aadhaar for the exam. Also, there are some cases wherein the photographs taken live during the registration do not match the photographs in the UIDAI database.

To clear the air and conduct a just verification, NTA has set up a photo verification method for the challenged candidates. After students' representations, the agency has softened the rules for the witnessing of the documents and has also prolonged the date for the submission of the certificate till January 15, 2026, giving a lot of aspirants a breathing space.

Official NTA advisory for JEE Main 2026.

Issue related to non-Aadhaar registration and photo mismatch

According to the official notification, NTA found that several candidates did not use Aadhaar Card as their identity document while applying for JEE Main 2026. In addition, in some cases, the live photograph captured during the application process did not match the photograph available in the UIDAI records. Such mismatches may cause problems during identity verification at the examination centre.

In order to prevent any discomfort of candidates and ensure that the examination is conducted smoothly, NTA made the decision to give the affected candidates the option of identity verification through an additional certification process. It is a compulsory step for those candidates whose Aadhaar details or photographs could not be verified during the online application stage.

Attestation allowed from gazetted officers

Initially, NTA asked candidates to upload a signed and attested certificate with a recent photograph, certified by the School or College Principal or Headmaster. Nonetheless, NTA got a lot of complaints from candidates that the authorities who are supposed to verify the documents were hard to reach in some areas. In view of such issues, NTA has decided to let the candidates get their documents attested by Class, I Gazetted Officers.

These include officers such as Tehsildar, Revenue Officer, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), District Magistrate (DM), or a Class-I Gazetted Officer of the Indian Embassy for NRI candidates. This relaxation is expected to help candidates complete the verification process without difficulty.

Revised deadline and exam day verification instructions

NTA has revised the last date for uploading the photo verification certificate in PDF format to January 15, 2026. The upload link has been sent to the registered email IDs of affected candidates. Candidates must ensure that the certificate is correctly filled, signed, attested, and uploaded before the deadline.

Candidates must also bring a hard copy of the same certificate when they go to the examination centre, besides submitting it online. On the day of the test, the printed copy of the certificate will be used for the physical verification process. It is recommended that candidates see to it that they strictly adhere to the directions given so that they will not encounter any problems when they enter the exam centre.