Telegram has approached the Delhi High Court against the Central government's decision to temporarily restrict access to the app ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.
The platform argues that the move unfairly impacts millions of users while doing little to address the root causes of examination fraud.
Government's Decision to Restrict Telegram
The government imposed the temporary restriction on June 16 following recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Department of Higher Education.
The order, issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, will remain in effect until June 22, covering the June 21 NEET-UG re-test and its immediate aftermath.
According to the Centre, the measure is aimed at preventing cheating, fraudulent claims of paper leaks, and misinformation campaigns targeting students. Authorities clarified that the decision was not prompted by any confirmed paper leak but by a surge in fake messages and scams circulating on online platforms.
The controversy stems from the cancellation of the original NEET-UG 2026 examination scheduled for May 3, following allegations of irregularities. A fresh examination has been scheduled for June 21.
NTA's Stance on Fake Telegram Channels
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the agency would take every possible step to ensure that the re-examination is conducted fairly and free of malpractice.
The agency alleged that several Telegram channels operating under names such as "Paper Leaked NEET," "Re-NEET 2026," and similar titles falsely claimed to possess examination papers and demanded money from candidates and their families.
Officials stated that such channels were charging amounts ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees by promising access to question papers. The NTA reiterated that no examination paper exists outside its secured distribution chain and described all such claims as fraudulent.
The agency said the platform-level restriction was implemented only after alternative measures, including removing channels and groups in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), failed to yield the desired results. It termed the temporary shutdown a "measure of last resort" intended to protect students from scams and misinformation.
Additional Restrictions on Telegram
In addition to limiting access to Telegram, the government has directed the platform to turn off its message-editing feature for messages already posted in India until June 30. Authorities argue that the restriction will help prevent manipulation of screenshots and messages during the post-examination period.
Telegram CEO and Digital Rights Groups Push Back
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticized the ban, calling it a mistake. In a post on X, he argued that blocking the platform punishes more than 150 million users in India rather than those responsible for spreading misinformation or attempting examination fraud.
Durov noted that Telegram had already removed hundreds of channels linked to paper-leak scams and had introduced measures to improve transparency around edited messages.
Digital rights advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) also opposed the move, describing it as a disproportionate response to examination-related concerns.
The organization locking an entire communication platform amounts to a temporary shutdown affecting legitimate users who rely on the service for education, communication, and business purposes.
Impact on Users in India
The restrictions have had an immediate impact on users in India.
Telegram has reportedly stopped functioning for many existing users, while access remains possible through virtual private networks (VPNs). Google removed the app from its Play Store on June 16, and Apple has also taken it down from the App Store in compliance with the government's directive.
Political Reactions
The issue has sparked political debate as well. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the Modi government, questioning the ban's effectiveness.
In a post on X, he compared the move to "locking the victim's house instead of catching the thief." Gandhi argued that millions of students have relied on Telegram for years to access study materials, test series, discussions, and preparation resources, and questioned how restricting the platform would prevent paper leaks.
NTA's Appeal to Candidates
As the debate continues, the NTA has urged candidates to rely solely on official communication channels for examination-related information and to report suspicious claims through the National Cyber Crime Helpline and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The agency maintains that the temporary restrictions are necessary to safeguard the integrity of the June 21 NEET re-examination.
