India has restricted access to Telegram for a limited period after the National Testing Agency recommended action against the platform over fraud rackets targeting NEET (UG) 2026 candidates.
According to the NTA, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued directions under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to Telegram in India until June 22, 2026.
The restriction covers the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath.
The government has also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India for messages already posted until June 30, 2026.
According to the NTA, the feature was being used to fabricate after-the-event “paper leak” evidence linked to national examinations.
The agency said both measures were taken in the interest of public order and in response to organised use of the platform by cheating rackets.
The NTA said several Telegram channels, groups and bots openly advertised names such as “PAPER LEAKED NEET”, “Re-NEET 2026”, “Private Mafia” and “REE NEET MAFIAA”.
According to the agency, these channels demanded money from candidates and their families in exchange for claimed access to the re-examination paper.
The NTA said there was no such paper available outside the secured examination chain and that the promise of such material was fraudulent.
The Internet Freedom Foundation objected to the directions and called the Telegram block a “band-aid solution” and a disproportionate response to exam fraud.
The rights group said Section 69A and the Blocking Rules of 2009 allow the government to block specific “information” on a computer resource.
Statement : Shutting down Telegram is a band aid solution and is a disproportionate answer to exam fraud
The Internet Freedom Foundation objects to the directions announced today in the National Testing Agency's press release on action against the Telegram platform. On the NTA's… pic.twitter.com/xlpzjcZEnC
— انٹرنیٹ فریڈم فاؤنڈیشن (IFF) (@internetfreedom) 16 جون 2026
It argued that the law does not allow the government to shut down an entire intermediary or order a company to redesign its product by removing a feature for a whole country.
The IFF said the restriction fails the constitutional test of proportionality.
It noted that the NTA itself said targeted takedowns of Telegram channels, groups, and bots had helped contain the harm caused by fraud rackets.
According to the IFF, if channel-level takedowns were working, the case for a platform-wide block becomes weaker.
The group also said the NTA admitted that the block affects lakhs of citizens who use Telegram for legitimate personal, educational, professional and informational purposes.
The IFF said the block comes in the final days of NEET preparation, when thousands of students use Telegram for study groups, doubt-clearing and shared resources.
It argued that the move punishes ordinary users instead of addressing the source of exam leaks.
The group said exam paper leaks usually occur inside the system, including among insiders and across the printing and logistics chain, while platforms are usually downstream channels for distribution.
The IFF said only the NTA press release has been made public, while the reasoned order issued by MeitY has not been released.
It said orders restricting access must be published so they can be tested in court.
The group also said it was not clear whether Telegram was given a hearing under the Blocking Rules.
The Internet Freedom Foundation asked the government to publish the MeitY Section 69A order and the NTA recommendation behind it, along with reasons.
It also asked the government to state the legal basis for the message-editing direction or withdraw it.
The group further urged the government to confirm whether Telegram was given a hearing and to lift the platform-wide restriction.
It said the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination is worth protecting, but the process should be secured without causing harm to lakhs of lawful users.
جہاں آپ چاہیں تازہ ترین ٹیک خبریں، ٹیلی کام کی بصیرتیں، اور پروڈکٹ لانچ حاصل کریں۔
ProPakistani کو ترجیحی ذرائع میں شامل کریں اور گوگل سرچ اور ٹاپ اسٹوریز میں ہماری مزید کہانیاں دیکھیں۔
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