India has ordered a temporary block on Telegram until June 22, claiming fraudsters are using the messaging app to peddle fake exam papers and sow chaos before a re-test of the country's biggest entrance exam. The National Testing Agency, which runs the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Undergraduate) (NEET (UG)) - a medical college exam taken by millions of students annually - announced the move on Tuesday, saying the restrictions aim to stop people from selling bogus exam materials and spreading misinformation ahead of the June 21 re-test.
The nationwide ban covers Telegram until June 22, a day after the re-test. Additionally, the Agency wants Telegram to disable its message-editing feature until June 30, arguing that the feature has been used to fabricate evidence of exam paper leaks after tests were completed. "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, invoking Section 69A of India's Information Technology Act - the country's legal hammer for blocking online services and content.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov fired back on X, noting that the week-long restriction would punish over 150 million users in India rather than the actual leakers. "The leaks just moved to other apps," Durov argued, questioning the measure's effectiveness. In a subsequent post on his Telegram channel, he claimed the company had removed hundreds of channels linked to leaked exam materials and scams in India in recent weeks, and had made its "edited" label more prominent to combat so-called backdating scams.
Digital rights advocates were quick to pile on. The Internet Freedom Foundation called the restrictions a "disproportionate" response to exam fraud, questioning whether Section 69A even permits blocking an entire platform rather than specific content. "Shutting down Telegram is a band-aid solution and a disproportionate answer to exam fraud," the group said in a statement.
Defending the move, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh acknowledged that some channels were being operated via VPNs or from outside India, but argued that limiting access would still reduce the pool of potential victims. "Even though they can continue operating the channels, if there is no clientele, the fraud will be prevented, and the students will be protected," Singh told local media - a logic that assumes fraudsters don't have other apps.
The re-test comes after NEET (UG) was rocked by a paper leak scandal last month, prompting a federal investigation and renewed scrutiny of the exam system. India is Telegram's largest market globally, according to Sensor Tower, with an estimated 354 million monthly active users and nearly 600 million downloads since launch. At publication time, Telegram remained accessible to some users in India, and its message-editing feature appeared to function normally - even as Google removed the app from its Play Store in the country following the government's announcement. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology did not respond to requests for comment.