NTA 2026 Major Updates : Normalization Improvements Announced for CSIR, UGC NET, and JEE Main

After the completion of all the entrance exams of the previous session, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has now started preparing for the examinations to be held in 2026.

After the CSIR-UGC NET June exam held on 28 July 2025, now NTA is preparing to release the schedule for the new session.

JEE Main 2026 schedule first

According to sources, NTA will first release the schedule of JEE Main 2026. A special committee is being formed for the first session of the engineering examination. It is expected that the schedule of JEE Main to be held in January 2026 can be released in late September or early October 2025.

Apart from this, the schedule of UGC NET 2026 and CSIR NET 2026 will also be released.

Controversy is growing over normalization

Most of the NTA exams are conducted in multiple shifts in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. In such a situation, there may be a difference in the level of difficulty of the question paper in different shifts. Normalization formula is applied to balance it.

But students and experts say that there are many shortcomings in normalization. For example, two students scored the same 100 marks in different shifts, but after normalization, one's marks became 115 and the other's were 85. Due to this, students have to face injustice.

What could be the solution?

Career counselors and experts suggest that:

• If possible, the exam should be conducted in a single shift, like NEET UG exam.
• Attention should be paid to keeping the level of the question paper equal in all shifts.
• Hybrid mode (online + offline) can also be considered for subjects with more applicants.

Students' trust is important

Protests against normalization are increasing across the country. Students say that if the exam is conducted with a single question paper, there is more transparency and no one doubts the final result.

Both the Ministry of Education and NTA are constantly discussing this subject. In the coming months, it will be decided what changes will be made in JEE Main 2026, UGC NET 2026 and CSIR NET 2026 and how the shortcomings of normalization will be removed.

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