- Telegram was temporarily banned in India ahead of Re-NEET UG 2026 exam due to paper leak concerns
- The app's editing feature has been disabled until June 30 as part of the restrictions
- Telegram's founder criticized the ban for punishing 150 million users, not the leakers
Instant messaging app Telegram has hit back at the temporary ban imposed in India ahead of Re-NEET UG 2026. The platform criticised the move on social media and compared it to shutting malls over possible theft or closing roads due to isolated speeding incidents.
The Ministry of Electornics and Information Technology on Tuesday, June 16, issued a directive to block Telegram as a precautionary measure ahead of Re-NEET (UG) 2026 examination. The editing option on the app has been disabled till June 30.
Telegram's criticism came in response to a social media post by Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Karti Chidambaram. The platform's official X handle posted, "You should also shut down all the shopping malls since there might be a theft in one of them. And close the roads because I heard someone was speeding." The Congress leader had questioned the government's move to ban Telegram to avoid exam paper leaks.
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Earlier, Telegram Founder Pavel Durov criticised the ban, saying it punishes 15 crore app users in India.
"India's IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials. And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps," Durov wrote on X.
ALSO READ: 'Punishing 150M Users, Not NEET Leakers': Telegram CEO Slams India's Week-Long Ban
The NEET UG 2026 examination is scheduled to be conducted again on June 21, 2026, days after the examination was cancelled over serious allegations of paper leak. The restriction on Telegram app has been imposed in response to alleged use of the platform to enable paper leak.
"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," National Testing Agency said in release on Tuesday, June 16.
NTA said that several channels were operating openly on Telegram with names that advertised their purpose such as “PAPER LEAKED NEET”, “Re-NEET 2026”, “Private Mafia”, “REE NEET MAFIAA” and others. These channels allegedly demanded sums ranging from a few thousand to several lakhs of rupees from candidates and their families, in exchange for access to the re-examination paper.
ALSO READ: Telegram Blocked In India Ahead Of Re-NEET 2026: What Users Can And Cannot Do During Ban
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