India ordered a nationwide temporary block on Telegram in June 2026, citing concerns that cheating networks were using the messaging app to sell fake exam papers and spread misinformation ahead of a high-stakes medical college entrance exam re-test.
The order was announced by India’s National Testing Agency, which administers the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Undergraduate) — known as NEET (UG) — a medical college entrance exam taken by millions of students each year. The agency said the ban would remain in place until June 22, one day after the scheduled June 21 re-test. Separately, Telegram has also been ordered to disable its message-editing feature until June 30, with the agency arguing that the feature has been used to fabricate evidence of exam paper leaks after tests have been conducted.
“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 in a statement.
The order was issued under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, the legal mechanism the country uses to block online services and content. The re-test itself follows a paper leak scandal last month that triggered a federal investigation and renewed scrutiny of India’s national exam system.
The move drew immediate pushback from digital rights advocates. The Internet Freedom Foundation called the restrictions “disproportionate” and questioned whether Section 69A legally 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.
India is Telegram’s largest market by downloads, making the temporary block one of the most significant restrictions ever imposed on the platform. Despite the order, Telegram remained accessible in India at the time of publication and its message-editing feature appeared to be functioning normally. Telegram and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Source: TechCrunch