The National Testing Agency (NTA) is introducing a major shake-up to national entrance exams: starting in the 2026–27 session, aspirants for JEE Main, NEET‑UG and CUET‑UG will no longer select their exam city. Instead, test centres will be allocated strictly according to the address on the candidate’s Aadhaar card — a system designed to reduce malpractice and enhance fairness.

This new address‑based allocation aims to curb impersonation and cheating, ensuring that students take exams closer to their registered locales. Under the previous system, candidates could pick three or four preferred cities, but this choice will be eliminated under the reform.

The transition raises concerns for students studying away from home, as outdated Aadhaar details might assign them to inconvenient or distant centres. The NTA has cautioned students to check and update their Aadhaar information before application, since changes won’t be allowed after the registration window closes.

These changes will roll out with the January 2026 JEE Main session, followed by NEET and CUET in subsequent cycles. In addition, the NTA is tightening identity verification: candidates’ names, dates of birth and other personal details must exactly match those on their Class 10 mark sheets. Even minor spelling mistakes could lead to rejection.

Further, students claiming reservation under SC, ST, OBC, EWS or PwD must ensure their category certificates are consistent across Aadhaar and Class 10 documents. Any mismatch could result in disqualification of reservation claims.

The NTA says these reforms are part of a broader agenda to simplify exam processes and strengthen verification integrity. Students who fail to align all official records risk losing the chance to sit for these pivotal examinations.