Telegram banned in India till next week, here is why
Follow UsThe Indian government has blocked Telegram access across India until 22 June 2026
A second order requires Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until 30 June
The ban has been put in place due to the upcoming NEET UG exam
Telegram one of the most popular messaging apps has been temporarily banned by the Indian government. Ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination, scheduled for 21 June, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 to implement the restriction. MeitY was acting on formal recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA). The ban on platform access runs until 22 June 2026. In addition, a second order has also been issued, requiring Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until 30 June 2026. This measure targets a specific method that cheating rackets have been using to fabricate fake paper leak evidence, separate from the question of whether any actual paper was leaked.
SurveyWhy was Telegram banned in India?
Telegram was temporarily banned in India because cheating rackets were using the platform to defraud candidates appearing for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination, scheduled for 21 June. As such, Telegram channels operating openly on the platform were charging candidates anywhere from a few thousand to several lakhs of rupees for alleged access to the examination paper. The ban was recommended by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and implemented by MeitY under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, after targeted takedowns of individual channels coordinated by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre failed to produce sufficient compliance at the platform level.
Why Telegram message-editing feature was disabled?
The NTA’s statement includes a detailed explanation of how Telegram’s message-editing capability has been weaponised. The platform currently allows a channel administrator to edit the content of a previously posted message, including replacing attached files such as PDFs, while retaining the original send-time stamp of the post. Fraudsters have exploited this to create false “paper leak” artefacts: a channel posts an innocuous message before an exam, then edits it after the exam concludes to insert the actual question paper, making it appear as though the paper had been circulating in advance. The resulting screenshot is then shared as supposed evidence of a leak.
By requiring Telegram to disable this feature in India through 30 June, MeitY is closing this method of post-examination fabrication. The NTA states clearly that this order does not affect the ordinary use of the platform for sending and receiving new messages.
What is the scale of Telegram NEET UG fraud?
The ban is described by NTA as a “measure of last resort,” taken only after channel-by-channel takedowns coordinated by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs failed to produce adequate compliance at the platform level. Over the preceding weeks, channels operating openly under names including “PAPER LEAKED NEET,” “Re-NEET 2026” and “Private Mafia” were demanding sums ranging from a few thousand to several lakhs of rupees from candidates and their families in exchange for purported access to the re-examination paper.
The Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch arrested members of an inter-state fraud gang found to be running eight Telegram channels as part of the same scheme. Documented transactions linked to the operation amount to approximately Rs 1.5 crore, with around 1,000 mobile numbers contacted in a single month. Bihar Police also issued a formal public advisory on 9 June warning candidates against such solicitations.
The NTA reiterated that no examination paper is available outside the secured examination chain and that any offer of such material is fraudulent in every instance.
Impact on users
The NTA acknowledged that the access restriction affects a large number of Telegram users who rely on the platform for legitimate personal, educational and professional purposes and expressed regret for the inconvenience. The platform access restriction expires on 22 June, the day after the examination. The message-editing restriction remains in place through 30 June. The NTA has also urged anyone who encounters fraudulent solicitations related to the examination to report them to the National Cyber-Crime Helpline at 1930 or through cybercrime.gov.in.
When will the Telegram ban lift?
Access to Telegram in India will be restored on 22 June 2026, the day after the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination. However, a second restriction for Telegram’s message-editing feature will remain in effect in India until 30 June 2026. This specific measure targets the method fraudsters have used to fabricate fake paper leak evidence by editing old posts after an examination to insert the actual question paper while retaining the original timestamp. Normal use of Telegram for sending and receiving new messages will not be affected once the access restriction lifts on 22 June.
