India orders temporary Telegram block over exam fraud concerns
India moves to block Telegram ahead of NEET re-test
India has ordered a temporary block on Telegram until June 22, citing concerns that fraudsters are using the messaging app to target candidates ahead of a re-test for the country’s largest entrance exam.
The move was announced Tuesday by the National Testing Agency, which runs the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET (UG). The agency said cheating networks were using Telegram to sell fake exam papers and spread misinformation before the June 21 re-test.
Alongside the nationwide block, the agency asked Telegram to disable its message-editing feature until June 30. Officials argued that editing has been used to fabricate evidence of paper leaks after exams have already taken place.
“Both measures have been taken in the interest of public order, in response to the organized use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates appearing for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination,” the agency said.
The order was issued under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, the legal mechanism the government uses to block online services and content.
Pushback from digital rights advocates
The restrictions drew immediate criticism from digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation, which called the response “disproportionate” and questioned whether Section 69A allows authorities to block an entire platform instead of specific content.
“Shutting down Telegram is a band-aid solution and a disproportionate answer to exam fraud,” the group said in a statement.
The re-test follows a paper leak scandal last month that rocked NEET (UG) and triggered a federal investigation. Indian authorities have since increased scrutiny of the exam system and tightened security around national tests.
India is Telegram’s biggest market by downloads, making the temporary block one of the most significant restrictions the company has faced in the country. As of publication, Telegram remained accessible in India and the message-editing feature appeared to work normally.
Telegram and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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