New Delhi — Telegram became inaccessible to millions of users across India on Tuesday after major telecom operators blocked the messaging platform and Apple and Google removed the app from their stores following a government order.
The action follows directions from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as India moves to curb examination-related fraud ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination.
The temporary restriction on Telegram will remain in place until June 22. The government said the step was needed to prevent the spread of exam-related scams, misinformation and cheating networks before the NEET re-examination scheduled for June 21.
The National Testing Agency said the order was issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and covers the exam period and its immediate aftermath.
According to the agency, several Telegram channels and groups were allegedly being used to spread misleading claims about paper leaks and lure students with fraudulent offers promising access to question papers.
Telegram has also been directed to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30. Authorities said the feature had previously been misused to create fabricated evidence of paper leaks by allowing users to edit older messages and replace attached files while keeping original timestamps.
The NTA said no NEET examination paper had been leaked, despite widespread claims circulating online. It said the broader restrictions were imposed after targeted measures, including the removal of specific channels, groups and bots, proved insufficient.
The agency also credited the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with state police and other central agencies, for identifying and acting against Telegram-based fraud networks.
Law enforcement agencies in several states have opened investigations into examination-related scams allegedly carried out through social media and messaging platforms. (Source: IANS)
