NEW DELHI: Ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21, access to the messaging platform Telegram has been restricted in India until June 22.
According to a press statement issued by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the agency has welcomed the temporary restrictions on the messaging app imposed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
The messaging app has been restricted under a directive issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, in India until June 22, 2026. The restriction will cover the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath.
MeitY has also directed the platform to disable, in India, the message-editing feature for already posted messages for a defined period ending June 30, 2026.
According to the NTA, some channel administrators allegedly misused the feature by editing old messages after examinations had concluded and inserting actual question papers while retaining the original timestamp, thereby creating misleading “evidence” of pre-exam paper leaks.
“Both measures have been taken in the interest of public order, in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates appearing for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled on 21 June 2026,” the NTA said in a statement.
The agency added that it expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for this timely action in the interest of students, which will go a long way in helping ensure safe and secure examinations on June 21, 2026.
Throughout the period leading up to the present action, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has served as the principal nodal agency coordinating the operational response to Telegram-based fraud and misinformation targeting NEET (UG) 2026 candidates.
The NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination will be conducted as scheduled on June 21. The NTA has urged candidates to ignore unverified claims circulating online and rely only on official examination updates.
