The government on Tuesday temporarily restricted access to the Telegram messaging platform ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) saying the move was aimed at curbing cheating rackets and the spread of misinformation.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the restriction, which will remain in place until June 22, is intended to ensure the June 21 re-test is conducted without malpractice. He stressed that authorities would take every possible step to safeguard the integrity of the examination.
Acting on NTA's recommendation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued directions under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to temporarily block access to Telegram in India. MeitY has also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30, citing concerns that it has been used to fabricate false "paper leak" claims after examinations.
The NTA clarified that the action was not triggered by any actual paper leak but by the circulation of fake messages and fraudulent claims that were causing anxiety among candidates. Singh pointed to a recent case cracked by Ahmedabad Police involving the spread of false information related to the examination.
Also read: NTA launches portal to report fake news ahead of NEET-UG re-test
According to the agency, several Telegram channels were demanding money from students and parents by falsely claiming access to the NEET-UG re-examination paper. The NTA reiterated that no question paper had been leaked and warned candidates against falling victim to such scams.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), along with state police forces, has been coordinating efforts to remove fraudulent Telegram channels and investigate those behind them. The NTA said the temporary restrictions were imposed only after other measures failed to adequately address the problem.
While acknowledging the inconvenience caused to legitimate Telegram users, the agency said the restrictions are limited in duration and necessary to protect students and maintain public confidence in the examination process. The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be held as scheduled on June 21.
Meanwhile, the Internet Freedom Foundation criticised the move, calling the temporary shutdown of Telegram and the disabling of its message-editing feature a disproportionate response to exam-related fraud.
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