Telegram Access Curbed in India Till June 22 Amid NEET Re-Exam; Edit Feature Disabled Till June 30
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In an unprecedented move to combat alleged widespread cheating and paper leak, the Indian government has temporarily restricted access to the messaging platform Telegram across the country until June 22, just ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination. Additionally, Telegram crucial message-editing feature has been disabled in India until June 30. These stringent measures, enacted under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, aim to prevent organized cheating rackets from exploiting the platform to spread misinformation and fabricate evidence of exam leaks. The drastic action by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), following recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), comes amidst the fallout from the initial NEET-UG exam on May 3, which was canceled due to alleged irregularities and a large-scale paper leak that is now under Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Authorities specifically targeted Telegram editing capability, noting it was being misused to retroactively alter messages and insert actual question papers after exams, thereby creating misleading 'proof' of pre-exam access. While Telegram founder Pavel Durov has criticized the ban, stating leaks simply 'moved to other apps' and it unfairly punishes legitimate users, India remains steadfast in its bid to secure the integrity of its high-stakes national entrance tests. With the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21, the government has warned of strict legal action against any attempts to disrupt the process, reinforcing its commitment to a fair testing environment. The restrictions have already seen Telegram removed from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India. Meanwhile, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court of India, challenging the nationwide re-examination and raising questions about its fairness and proportionality, adding another layer of complexity to this unfolding national education crisis.