NEET-UG Re-Test: Govt bans Telegram in India till June 22 over use of app by cheating rackets

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jun 16, 2026: Amid fresh rumours surrounding an alleged paper leak linked to the NEET-UG re-examination, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has suspended access to Telegram across India until June 22. The move aims to prevent exam-related malpractice ahead of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) 2026 re-test.

The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled for Sunday, June 21, after the original exam held on May 3 was cancelled following widespread allegations of a question paper leak.

Restriction imposed to prevent exam fraud

According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the temporary ban has been enforced in the interest of public order after authorities found organised "cheating rackets" using Telegram to mislead and exploit candidates appearing for the NEET-UG re-exam.

The NTA said the government has also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.

"A direction requiring the platform to disable, in India, the message-editing feature in respect of messages already posted, for a defined period ending 30 June 2026, addressing the specific structural feature through which the platform has been used to fabricate after-the-event ’paper leak’ evidence in respect of national examinations," the agency stated.

Why Telegram came under the scanner

Investigations and monitoring by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), state police forces and other agencies revealed that several Telegram channels, groups and bots were allegedly spreading false claims about access to the NEET-UG re-examination question paper.

Over recent weeks, channels operating under names such as "PAPER LEAKED NEET", "Re-NEET 2026", "Private Mafia", and "REE NEET MAFIAA" reportedly demanded payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees from candidates and their families in exchange for purported access to examination papers.

The NTA reiterated that no examination paper exists outside the secured examination process and warned students that any promise of advance access to question papers is fraudulent.

Message-editing feature under scrutiny

Authorities have raised concerns over Telegram’s message-editing capability, which allows administrators to modify previously posted messages and attached documents while retaining the original timestamp.

According to investigators, this feature has allegedly been misused in past examinations to create false evidence of paper leaks. Administrators are accused of editing old posts after exams concluded and inserting actual question papers, making it appear that the material had been circulated before the examination.

Officials believe temporarily disabling the feature will help prevent the spread of misleading post-examination narratives.

Probe uncovers wider fraud network

The NTA highlighted enforcement actions already initiated by multiple agencies.

The Bihar Police Economic Offences Unit had earlier issued a public advisory cautioning candidates against fraudulent claims regarding examination papers circulating on Telegram and other platforms.

In a separate case, the Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch arrested members of an inter-state cyber fraud gang allegedly operating eight Telegram channels linked to examination scams. Investigators reportedly uncovered transactions worth around Rs 1.5 crore routed through fraudulent bank accounts, while nearly 1,000 mobile numbers had been contacted within a month.

Officials said investigations are continuing in several states.

NTA says restriction is temporary

Acknowledging Telegram’s widespread use for educational, professional and personal communication, the NTA expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to users.

The agency clarified that the platform-level restriction will remain in force only until June 22, a day after the re-examination. The separate order disabling the message-editing feature will continue until June 30 but will not affect users’ ability to send or receive new messages.

NEET-UG re-exam to be held on June 21

The NTA reiterated that the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be conducted as scheduled on June 21 and maintained that the integrity and security of the examination remain intact.

Candidates have been urged to focus on their preparation, ignore unverified claims circulating online, and rely solely on official updates issued through the NTA website and verified NTA social media accounts.

The original NEET-UG 2026 examination, conducted on May 3, came under intense scrutiny after allegations surfaced that question papers had been leaked before the test.

Students encountering suspicious claims related to examination papers, answer keys or admission offers have been advised to report them immediately through the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930), the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, or NTA’s official helplines.