The Indian government has temporarily blocked access to the Telegram messaging app until June 22 to stop the spread of alleged exam paper leaks ahead of the NEET UG 2026 re-examination. The National Testing Agency acted after numerous channels on the platform promoted fake claims of leaked question papers and offered paid access to the test.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued two orders. One blocks Telegram across India until June 22, covering the exam date and the days immediately after. The second directs the platform to turn off the ability to edit previously sent messages until June 30. Officials described the steps as limited in scope and taken only after earlier efforts to remove offending channels proved insufficient.
The agency stated that Telegram channels had been monitored for months due to suspected involvement in cheating and fraud. Channels with names promising leaked papers openly sought payments from students and families, though the NTA confirmed no actual papers exist outside official channels.
Telegram’s features, including large channels and message editing, have previously been exploited to create false evidence of leaks by altering older posts after exams. The temporary disablement of editing aims to close this method. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has supported the removal of many related channels and groups, while state police have issued warnings and made arrests in connection with the fraud.
