Key facts
- India has temporarily blocked the Telegram messaging app until June 22, 2026.
- The ban is to prevent fraud related to the NEET medical entrance exam.
- The National Testing Agency requested the ban after allegations of exam paper leaks.
- The restriction was implemented under Section 69A of India's IT Act.
- The Internet Freedom Foundation criticized the ban as disproportionate and ineffective.
India has temporarily blocked the Telegram messaging app until June 22, 2026, as part of a government effort to curb the circulation of fake papers and related fraud for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination. The National Testing Agency (NTA) welcomed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's (MeitY) action, describing it as a necessary step to safeguard the examination process. MeitY, acting on the NTA's recommendations, issued directions under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to restrict access to Telegram within India for a limited period. Furthermore, Telegram has been directed to disable its message-editing feature within India until June 30. The NTA's request and MeitY's subsequent order have drawn criticism from the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), which labeled the measures a 'band-aid solution' and a 'disproportionate' response. The ban follows the cancellation of the NEET undergraduate entrance exam last month due to allegations of leaked papers, affecting 2.3 million students. Protests have erupted, with some demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Google and Apple have been ordered to temporarily de-list the app from their stores.