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As the deadline for the closing of registration for JEE Main 2025 Session 1 approaches, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is facing rising issues regarding the registration of aspirants. As per information, only 5.51 lakh students have registered for the Session 1 exam scheduled to happen in January 2025.
JEE Main Registration Trend
If we take a closer look at the number of registered students over the last seven years, the trend looks something like this:
However, this year, we can see a sharp decline in registration numbers. Various theories are currently circulating regarding the same.
Reason Number 1: Festivals
India sees a surge of festivals during November and December, and that can be a possible reason why students have not registered yet. Experts suggest that we might see a significant increase in registrations in the last days of the deadline.
Reason Number 2: Lower EWS and OBC Registrations
This year, the NTA changed the rules for applying under the EWS and OBC categories. Candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) are now mandated to provide detailed information about their category certificates, including the certificate's ID, issuance date, and the name of the issuing officer.
This sudden requirement has led to delays in registration. It may also result in some students completely missing the opportunity to fill out the exam form for Session 1.
Reason Number 3: Document Mismatch and Technical Difficulties
Many students across the country have reported facing repeated errors on the registration portal due to name mismatches between various documents, mainly Aadhaar and Class 10 certificates.
It is a common practice in India, especially in villages, to have incorrect names registered in school records due to typing errors or manual mistakes. This issue seems unsolvable for students as they cannot easily amend these errors. Guidelines or FAQs from the NTA addressing this issue are yet to be released.
Ravi Kumar, a JEE aspirant from Bihar, shared his experience:
"I faced repeated errors during registration because my Aadhaar card had my full name, while my school certificate had only my initials. It was a tedious process to get it corrected."
Reason Number 4: Genuine Lack of Interest
Aspirants are increasingly concerned about opting for engineering as a career choice, knowing that they may not secure admission into a good college. JEE Main was once considered a sacred exam for undergraduates in PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) and PCMB (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology) streams. However, with changing behaviors in youth, they are now opting for more career-friendly and interest-oriented courses.
Pooja, a PCM student, mentioned:
"I took PCM as a JEE aspirant but soon realized it is not for me. Now, I will be writing competitive exams in design to pursue that as a career choice."
Other Contributing Factors
Apart from the above reasons, increasing registration fees have also been a factor in the delay or low interest in registering for the exam. However, this is a less significant barrier and affects only a small percentage of aspirants.
What Does This Mean for JEE Main Candidates?
There are various conclusions that can be drawn from this trend:
- Cutoff scores may change due to fewer candidates.
- Students may find better opportunities in good colleges due to reduced competition.
However, we will need to wait for the final numbers before making any definitive conclusions.
The declining interest in competitive exams like JEE Main could serve as a wake-up call for authorities, especially the NTA. Students losing interest in engineering, one of the largest undergraduate courses in India, is concerning. While it is unlikely, if the trend continues, the NTA might consider extending the deadline to provide students with more time to arrange their documents or encourage more registrations. For now, all eyes are on the final guidelines and FAQs from the authorities.