NTA backs temporary Telegram curbs to prevent NEET paper leak rumours

With the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has welcomed the Centre’s decision to temporarily restrict access to Telegram in India, calling it a necessary measure to curb examination-related fraud and misinformation.

According to an official statement issued by the NTA, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed a temporary restriction on Telegram access in India until June 22. The government has also ordered the platform to disable its message-editing feature in the country until June 30.

The move comes as authorities intensify efforts to prevent organised cheating networks and fraudulent operators from exploiting social media platforms to spread false claims of question paper leaks ahead of the medical entrance examination.

Why Telegram’s editing feature came under scanner

The NTA said Telegram’s message-editing functionality had allegedly been misused by some channel administrators to create misleading evidence of question paper leaks.

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According to the agency, administrators could edit older posts after an examination had concluded and replace attachments with actual question papers while retaining the original timestamp. Screenshots of such posts were then circulated online as purported proof that the paper had been leaked before the exam.

Officials believe temporarily disabling the feature will reduce the spread of fabricated leak claims during and after the re-examination.

Agencies crack down on fraud networks

The NTA credited the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, for coordinating action against Telegram-based fraud and misinformation campaigns.

The agency said several Telegram groups, channels and bots allegedly offering fake access to NEET question papers have already been removed.

The statement also referred to recent enforcement actions by state authorities. Bihar Police had earlier issued public advisories warning students against fraudsters claiming to have access to examination papers. Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch reportedly arrested members of an inter-state cyber fraud network allegedly operating multiple Telegram channels linked to examination scams.

Investigators reportedly found that the network handled transactions worth around Rs 1.5 crore and had contacted nearly 1,000 mobile numbers within a month.

Students asked to ignore paper leak claims

Reiterating the integrity of the examination process, the NTA said no NEET question paper exists outside its secured distribution system and warned candidates against believing claims circulating on social media.

According to the agency, several Telegram channels had allegedly demanded payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees by falsely promising access to the NEET re-examination paper.

The NTA described all such claims as fraudulent and advised candidates to rely only on official notifications and updates issued through its website and communication channels.

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The agency added that while the temporary restrictions may inconvenience some users, the measures are limited to the examination period and are intended solely to protect the credibility of the test.

NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be conducted as scheduled on June 21.

FAQs

Q1. Why has Telegram been temporarily restricted in India?

The restriction has been imposed ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination to prevent the spread of fake paper leak claims, misinformation and examination-related fraud.

Q2. When will Telegram services be restored?

According to the NTA, Telegram access restrictions will remain in place until June 22, while the platform’s message-editing feature will remain disabled in India until June 30.