In the last few days, social media platforms and several news outlets have been buzzing with claims that the National Testing Agency (NTA) has made a major change for students appearing in JEE Main, NEET, and CUET exams from 2026 onwards.
According to these reports, students will no longer be able to choose their preferred exam city or centre. Instead, NTA will automatically decide the exam city based on the address given in their Aadhaar card.
But before you panic - here’s the truth behind these viral claims.
A lot of news articles and YouTube videos have stated that from 2026, the process of choosing exam centres will shift. Apparently, the system will automatically allocate a city with links to the Aadhaar address of the candidate as opposed to the student selecting the exam city during application.
Some reports even suggest that this new rule is being brought in to prevent cheating, impersonation, and misuse of city preferences during national-level exams like JEE, NEET, and CUET.
While checking the official NTA website, there was no such announcement or notification confirming this rule. The only official update released by NTA so far is about document verification and Aadhaar details for JEE Main 2026.
In that advisory, NTA simply asks candidates to:
It also mentions that the JEE Main 2026 will be conducted in two sessions, Session 1 in January 2026 and Session 2 in April 2026. However, there is no mention at all about changing the exam centre selection process.
It appears that the confusion began when certain news portals misinterpreted the Aadhaar advisory. Because NTA told the students to update their Aadhaar cards, some thought that the Aadhaar address could be used to assign exam cities automatically.
However, it is just a supposition, not a declaration. NTA has not published any rule or guideline that eliminates the choice of exam cities.
For now, students can relax — the existing system remains unchanged. When filling out the JEE, NEET, or CUET application forms, candidates will still be able to choose their preferred exam cities, just like before.
If NTA decides to make any change, it will release a clear and official notice on its verified websites:
Always cross-check such news with official updates before believing or sharing them.
The viral news claiming that “NTA has stopped allowing students to choose their exam centres from 2026” is not true. There is no official update or rule confirming this change. Students are advised to follow official NTA websites for accurate information and avoid believing every news piece circulating on social media.
Stay connected with MeduHub for verified exam updates, official announcements, and reliable education news.
