Government temporarily blocks Telegram amid NEET-UG paper leak investigation

Authorities have imposed a temporary restriction on Telegram and limited certain platform features as part of efforts to investigate the NEET-UG paper leak case and curb the circulation of misleading claims related to the re-examination.

The Indian government has temporarily restricted access to messaging platform Telegram until June 22 as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and the spread of fraudulent claims regarding access to the examination's re-test paper.

The action was taken by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under provisions of the Information Technology Act following concerns raised by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Alongside the temporary restriction, authorities have also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing functionality in India for previously published messages until June 30.

Officials familiar with the matter said the move was prompted by concerns that certain channels on the platform were being used to circulate claims of possessing examination papers and to create misleading content linked to the ongoing investigation. According to government sources, requests were made to Telegram for information that could assist investigators in identifying individuals behind such activities, but authorities were dissatisfied with the level of cooperation received.

Telegram is one of India's most widely used messaging platforms, with an estimated user base exceeding 150 million. However, users can still access the service through virtual private network (VPN) connections despite the temporary restriction.

Authorities cite investigation and misinformation concerns

Government officials said investigative agencies sought metadata and related technical information that could assist in tracing accounts suspected of involvement in either the original paper leak or subsequent attempts to exploit the controversy through false claims. Authorities reportedly faced difficulties as channels and accounts allegedly linked to such activities repeatedly resurfaced after being removed.

The NTA maintained that numerous Telegram channels had been offering purported access to examination papers in exchange for money, targeting students and their families. According to the agency, these claims were fraudulent, and no examination papers had been available outside the official and secured examination process.

The examination authority also expressed concern over Telegram's message-editing capability. Officials argued that the feature could potentially be misused to alter older posts after an examination has taken place, allowing users to insert question papers or documents into previously published messages while retaining the original timestamp. Such edited posts could then be presented as evidence that a paper had been leaked before the examination.

Telegram founder criticises move

Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticised the temporary restriction, stating that the decision affected millions of ordinary users while failing to prevent the spread of leaked content. He argued that individuals engaged in such activities could simply migrate to alternative platforms.

The development has reignited debate over the balance between platform accountability, law-enforcement requirements and digital freedoms. While officials maintain that the measures are necessary to safeguard the integrity of national examinations, some observers have cautioned that restrictions on widely used communication platforms could raise broader questions about proportionality and online governance.

The temporary measures are expected to remain under review as authorities continue their investigation into the alleged examination-related misconduct and online misinformation.