India blocks Telegram to prevent medical entrance exam cheating

Central Government Temporarily Blocks Messaging App

India has blocked access to the Telegram messaging platform across the country until June 22 to protect the integrity of the upcoming NEET UG 2026 re-examination. The central government enforced this temporary restriction following reports of organized cyber fraud networks using the application to spread fake paper leak claims. Candidates will face the re-test on June 21, making exam security the top priority for concerned authorities.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued two separate directives under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. While the first order cuts off general access to the platform until June 22, the second directive forces Telegram to completely disable its message-editing feature for Indian users until June 30.

National Testing Agency officials revealed that digital scammers exploited the platform's editing feature to create fake evidence of leaks. Fraudsters would post ordinary messages before the test, edit those posts after the exam concluded to insert actual questions, and use the original timestamp to trick students into paying massive sums.

Multi-State Crackdown on Digital Fraud

Investigations managed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre exposed deep-rooted fraud syndicates operating under names like "Private Mafia" and "Re-NEET 2026." Law enforcement units have already made several arrests, including an inter-state gang detained by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch that managed transactions worth Rs 1.5 crore through fraudulent channels. The National Testing Agency has advised students to disregard online rumours, assuring applicants that the actual question bank remains perfectly secure.