India curbs Telegram access ahead of June 21 NEET Re-exam; NTA welcomes move

Telegram access in India has been temporarily restricted until June 22, and the platform's message-editing feature has been disabled until June 30 ahead of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) re-examination scheduled for June 21. The decision comes amid concerns over the use of Telegram channels to spread misinformation related to NEET. Following the restrictions, the National Testing Agency (NTA) issued a detailed statement welcoming the move and describing it as a necessary step to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination. NEET UG June 21 exam LIVE updates.

NTA states that the directions were issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and are limited in duration. The restrictions were imposed after recommendations made by NTA and the Department of Higher Education to address what it described as the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets targeting candidates appearing for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination.

Telegram-based fraud

In its statement, the agency claimed that several Telegram channels and groups were operating under names such as "PAPER LEAKED NEET", "Re-NEET 2026", "Private Mafia" and similar titles. These channels demanded payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakhs from students in exchange for alleged access to the examination paper.

The agency reiterated that no NEET question paper exists outside the secured examination chain and said any promise of access to such material is fraudulent.

NTA also acknowledged the role of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which has been coordinating efforts against Telegram-based fraud. Acting on inputs from NTA, state police agencies and its own monitoring, I4C reportedly facilitated the removal of multiple Telegram channels, groups and bots that were allegedly involved in spreading misleading claims of paper leak.

NTA press release reads, "The direction requiring Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India through 30 June 2026 addresses a separate but related concern. The feature, in its present form, permits a channel administrator to edit the content of a previously posted message - including the substitution of attached files such as PDFs - while the original send-time stamp is retained. This capability has been used, in respect of multiple recent examinations, to fabricate after-the-event “paper leak” artefacts: a channel administrator edits an older, innocuous message to insert the actual question paper after the examination has been conducted, and the resulting chat is then circulated as purported “evidence” that the paper was in circulation before the examination."

Telegram's edit feature disabled

Apart from restricting access to the platform, authorities have directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30. NTA explained that the decision was taken to prevent the creation of fabricated "paper leak" evidence. According to the agency, channel administrators could edit older messages and replace previously uploaded files with actual question papers after an examination had concluded while retaining the original timestamp. These edited messages could then be circulated as purported proof that the paper had been leaked before the examination.

The temporary suspension of the feature is aimed at preventing such misuse during the post-examination period, the agency said. The agency also acknowledged that the temporary restrictions may inconvenience lakhs of users who use Telegram for legitimate educational, professional and personal purposes. However, it maintained that the measures are necessary to protect the integrity of one of the country's largest entrance examinations.

NTA’s facility to report fake claims

Ahead of the exam, NTA launched an online portal for students, parents, coaching institutes, and the public to report suspicious claims, fake paper leak rumours, and fraudulent activities. NTA reiterated that no individual or platform has access to the question paper or answer key and urged candidates to rely only on official updates. The agency, along with PIB Fact Check and law enforcement authorities, will monitor and act against misleading content circulating on social media and messaging platforms.

Any encounter with fraudulent solicitations - in person, by telephone, or through any online platform - should be reported immediately to the National Cyber-Crime Helpline at 1930, or through the National Cyber-Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in. NTA’s own helplines remain available at 011-40759000 / 011-69227700 and at neetug@nta.ac.in.

Re-NEET on June 21

NEET UG 2026 re-examination will be conducted as scheduled on June 21 and the security of the examination remains unaffected. NTA posted, "The security of the examination is unaffected by the action taken; it is, in fact, the very purpose of the action. Every candidate and parent is reassured of NTA’s commitment to conducting a fair, secure and credible examination." Candidates should rely on the NTA website-neet.nta.nic.in and verified NTA handles for all examination-related updates.