- India restricts Telegram until June 22 to combat NEET-related fraud and scams.
- Telegram message editing disabled until June 30 to limit fake leak claims.
- Authorities removed hundreds of channels as NEET fraud investigations expanded.
India has restricted access to Telegram until June 22 as authorities strengthen efforts to prevent examination-related fraud ahead of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) re-examination.
The decision follows weeks of investigations into Telegram channels accused of misleading students with claims of leaked examination papers, raising concerns about misinformation and financial scams targeting candidates and their families during a critical period in the examination process.
Government Orders Time-Bound Restrictions
The Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday that access to Telegram would be limited across India for a defined period under provisions of the country’s information technology laws. Officials said the measure was introduced to address the misuse of the platform by groups allegedly involved in fraudulent activities linked to the medical entrance examination.
According to government directives issued through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the restriction will remain in place until June 22, covering the NEET re-examination and the days immediately following it. Authorities described the action as temporary and focused on security during examinations.
In addition to restricting platform access, Telegram has been directed to disable message-editing capabilities for existing posts in India until June 30.
Concerns Over Edited Messages
Investigators said the message-editing feature became a growing concern during recent examination-related probes. Telegram channel administrators can modify previously published content while retaining the original posting timestamp.
Authorities alleged that some operators exploited this feature by replacing older files with actual question papers after examinations had already concluded.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) stated that the restrictions followed months of monitoring conducted by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), state police agencies, and MeitY.
Before the broader restriction was introduced, authorities had already removed hundreds of Telegram channels, groups, and automated accounts that allegedly promoted fake NEET paper leaks. Officials said those efforts did not sufficiently curb the spread of examination-related scams, prompting the decision to implement broader, temporary measures.
The NTA described the platform-level restrictions as a last-resort intervention after targeted enforcement actions failed to stop recurring fraudulent activity.
Fraud Investigations Continue
Law enforcement agencies have continued to uncover networks linked to examination scams. The Bihar Police Economic Offences Unit recently warned students about fraudulent Telegram channels claiming to provide NEET question papers.
Separately, cybercrime investigators in Ahmedabad arrested members of an alleged inter-state fraud network that reportedly operated multiple Telegram channels. Authorities said the group handled transactions worth approximately ₹1.5 crore and targeted nearly 1,000 individuals within a month.
The NTA reiterated that no NEET question paper is available outside the secured examination system and urged candidates to rely only on information released through official NEET and NTA communication channels.
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