Centre Restricts Telegram Access Till June 22 Ahead Of NEET Re-Exam

The MeitY has issued a temporary restriction on access to the messaging platform Telegram in India until June 22, 2026, and directed it to disable its message-editing feature in the country until June 30, to curb alleged exam-related fraud and misinformation linked to NEET (UG) 2026.

The action was taken on recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), with operational support from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to NTA, organised cheating rackets allegedly used the social media platform to sell fake access to exam papers, spread misinformation and fabricate “paper leak” evidence. The agency said Telegram’s message-editing feature allowed administrators to modify older posts and attach actual question papers after exams while retaining the original timestamp, creating misleading evidence of leak.

The I4C has been coordinating efforts against Telegram-based fraud targeting NEET candidates. Acting on inputs from NTA and state law enforcement agencies, including police forces in Bihar, Gujarat and Rajasthan, I4C has overseen the takedown of multiple channels, groups and bots allegedly linked to such activities.

“Over the preceding weeks, channels operating openly on the platform under names that themselves advertised their purpose – “PAPER LEAKED NEET”, “Re-NEET 2026”, “Private Mafia”, “REE NEET MAFIAA” and similar formulations – demanded sums ranging from a few thousand to several lakhs of rupees from candidates and their families, in exchange for purported access to the re-examination paper. NTA has placed on record, and reiterates, that there is no such paper available outside the secured examination chain,” NTA said.

For context, the NEET-UG 2026 examination, originally held on May 3, was canceled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) following a multi-state paper leak. The leak has led to a massive uproar from students in the subsequent weeks. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently investigating the scam.

The NTA noted that the decision to ban Telegram may affect legitimate users, but stressed that the measure is temporary and that users will still be able to send and receive messages once access is restored.

Telegram has long faced scrutiny from regulators around the world over the spread of misinformation, online scams, piracy and extremist content on the platform. Its vast public channels and relatively limited moderation have brought it on the radar of government and law enforcement agencies frequently.

Before the NEET issue, Telegram’s platform came under legal scrutiny after personal data of millions of Star Health’s customers was leaked on the platform in September 2024.

To note, India is Telegram’s largest market by a wide margin, with an estimated 104 Mn to 105 Mn monthly active users. The country accounts for more than one-fifth of Telegram’s global audience, surpassing other major markets and highlighting the platform’s deep reach among Indian internet users.

The post Centre Restricts Telegram Access Till June 22 Ahead Of NEET Re-Exam appeared first on Inc42 Media.