This year, the registration process for the January 2025 session of the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main has been particularly delayed.

With less than a week to the deadline, only 5.1 lakh students have successfully completed their applications. According to a report by News 18, this is a significant decrease from the 12.2 lakh applications filed in the same period last year.

One of the key reasons for the drop in the number of applications is the difficulty faced by students from the OBC (Other Backward Classes) and EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) categories, who must now provide additional documents as part of their application.

Applicants from these categories must now supply not only their category certificate, but also the certificate's ID, date of issue, and the name of the granting officer. Moreover, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) would only consider certificates issued after April 1, 2025, as valid.

This increased complexity has generated significant uncertainty among students, with many struggling to secure the required paperwork, say experts.

“If these requirements are not eased, there is a risk that some students may be forced to apply under the general category, even though they are eligible for OBC or EWS benefits. This could lead to discrepancies and further complications during the admission process,” Amit Ahuja, a career counselling expert with Allen Career Institute, Kota, tells News 18.

In addition, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has yet to release a detailed FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document to address frequent questions about the application process, which is adding to the students’ confusion, News 18 reports.