Govt blocks Telegram app till June 22 ahead of NEET-UG re-test
New Delhi, Jun 17: The government on Tuesday temporarily restricted access to the Telegram messaging app ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) saying the measure is aimed at tackling cheating rackets and misinformation.
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the restriction on Telegram till June 22 is part of efforts to ensure that the June 21 re-test is conducted without malpractice.
“We will not let anything go wrong. We will take all possible actions to ensure that the examination is conducted without any malpractice,” Singh told PTI, when asked about the move.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), acting on recommendations made by the NTA, has 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 June 22, 2026 covering the day of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A separate direction requires Telegram to disable in India the message-editing feature for already-posted messages till June 30, addressing the specific structural feature through which the platform has been used to fabricate after-the-event “paper leak” evidence in respect of national examinations, the NTA said in a statement.
“Both measures have been taken in the interest of public order, in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates appearing for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled on 21 June, 2026,” it said.
Asked whether the action was prompted by any reports of a paper leak, the NTA chief said there was no such trigger and that authorities had instead been dealing with fake messages circulating online.
“No, these were all fake messages. Yesterday also, the Ahmedabad police cracked a case in which fake messages were being circulated,” he said.
Singh said the circulation of such messages was causing anxiety among candidates. “Since this was going on, it was leading to a lot of people being anxious and a lot of mental stress to the students. We had to take this action,” he said.
On whether any specific meetings preceded the decision, Singh said discussions on examination security are held regularly. “A lot of meetings are held every day,” he said.
The medical entrance examination held on May 3 was cancelled amidst allegations of irregularities, leaving lakhs of aspirants in despair.
The agency expressed its gratitude to MeitY for what it described as a “timely action” taken in the interest of students and said it would help ensure the conduct of “safe and secure examinations” on June 21.
The NTA said the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs has served as the principal nodal agency coordinating the operational response to the Telegram-based fraud and misinformation targeting NEET candidates. (PTI)
