The Indian government has temporarily restricted Telegram ahead of the rescheduled National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for undergraduate medical admissions. Officials acted after determining that the messaging service was being exploited to circulate false information and share exam materials that had been leaked. Access to the platform will stay limited until next week, while the message-editing function remains unavailable until the close of the month. The decision follows cancellation of the original NEET UG 2026 paper following confirmed leaks reported in several states, with some questions appearing on social media channels.

Telegram Access Limited in India Until June 22

On Tuesday the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000 to direct the temporary block. The restriction runs through June 22. The National Testing Agency publicly supported the measure, noting that it followed recommendations submitted by the agency itself.

Section 69A permits authorities to block public access to online intermediaries when necessary to protect sovereignty, national security, foreign relations, or public order and to prevent incitement of offenses. Noncompliance may result in fines or imprisonment.

In addition, the order suspends Telegram editing tools until June 30. The testing agency stated that the feature had been used to create fabricated proof following the original examination and could be exploited by fraudulent networks to mislead candidates preparing for the June 21 retest.

NTA highlighted earlier enforcement steps, including actions by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre that removed numerous Telegram channels, groups, and bots openly promoting deceptive services. State police have similarly pursued individuals responsible for spreading false claims tied to the paper leaks.

NTA added that the restrictions affect many citizens who rely on the service for legitimate personal, academic, and professional communication and expressed regret for any resulting inconvenience.