India Restricts Telegram Access Until June 22 Ahead of NEET Re-Exam

India has blocked Telegram nationwide until June 22 after the National Testing Agency said cheating rackets allegedly used the platform to defraud candidates ahead of the NEET medical entrance re-examination set for June 21.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued the order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. That provision lets the union government restrict online access in the interest of national sovereignty and integrity.

Telegram Banned in India Ahead of NEET 2026 Re-Examination

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) carries enormous weight in India. It decides admission to the country’s undergraduate medical and dental seats. About 2.2 million people sat in the original round on May 3.

However, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled that test on May 12. Officials scrapped that round due to an alleged paper leak. A fresh examination was then scheduled for June 21.

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National Testing Agency, with the approval of the Government of India, has decided to cancel the NEET (UG) 2026 examination conducted on 3 May 2026, and to re-conduct the examination on dates that will be notified separately. pic.twitter.com/fh4o4QtzfI

— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026

In addition to the restriction, the government has also ordered Telegram to turn off message editing in India until June 30. The NTA framed both steps as public-order measures, prompted by “organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates.”

“NTA acknowledges that the access restriction issued by MeitY affects lakhs of citizens who use the Telegram platform for legitimate personal, educational, professional, and informational purposes, and sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to them. The access restriction is, by its express terms, confined to the period ending 22 June 2026 – i.e., the day after the examination,” the statement read.

The government has moved aggressively to keep the June 21 retest on track. Notably, officials have deployed the Indian Air Force to transport the question papers.

Whether the measures hold back exam fraud will become clearer once the June 21 retest concludes. BeInCrypto has reached out to Telegram for comment.

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