India imposes temporary curbs on messaging app Telegram
The restriction covers the day of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2026 re-examination on 21 June.
The Indian government today (16 June) temporarily restricted access to the messaging app Telegram ahead of the re-examination for key undergraduate medical entrance tests, saying the move is aimed at tackling cheating rackets.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, acting on recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), issued a direction under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to the Telegram platform in India for a defined and limited period ending on 22 June 2026.
The restriction covers the day of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2026 re-examination on 21 June.
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Last month, the NEET exam was cancelled after authorities found that questions had been leaked beforehand.
The paper leak sparked protests by students in different parts of the country, including sporadic demonstrations by India's viral Cockroach Janta Party demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
A separate directive requires Telegram to disable the message-editing feature in India for a defined period ending 30 June 2026.
The measure targets a feature that, according to the NTA, has been used to fabricate after-the-event "paper leak" evidence in national examinations.
