India has issued an order to dam Telegram till June 22 over considerations that fraudsters are utilizing the messaging platform to focus on candidates forward of a re-test of the nation’s largest entrance examination.
The transfer was introduced on Tuesday by India’s Nationwide Testing Company, which administers the Nationwide Eligibility Entrance Take a look at (Undergraduate) (NEET (UG)), a medical school entrance examination taken by thousands and thousands of scholars annually. The Company mentioned the restrictions have been geared toward stopping dishonest networks from utilizing Telegram to promote pretend examination papers and unfold misinformation earlier than the June 21 re-test of NEET.
The restrictions embody a nationwide, short-term ban on Telegram till June 22, a day after the re-test. The Company additionally desires the platform to disable its message-editing characteristic till June 30, arguing that the characteristic has been used to manufacture proof of examination paper leaks after checks have been performed.
“Each measures have been taken within the curiosity of public order, in response to the organized use of the platform by dishonest rackets to defraud candidates showing for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination,” the company mentioned.
The order was issued below Part 69A of India’s Info Know-how Act, the nation’s authorized mechanism for blocking on-line companies and content material, the company mentioned.
The transfer has drawn speedy criticism from digital rights advocates. Digital advocacy group Web Freedom Basis mentioned the restrictions have been a “disproportionate” response to examination fraud, and questioned whether or not Part 69A permits the federal government to dam a whole platform somewhat than particular content material.
“Shutting down Telegram is a band-aid resolution and a disproportionate reply to examination fraud,” the group said in a press release.
The re-test comes after NEET (UG) was rocked by a paper leak scandal final month, prompting a federal investigation and renewed scrutiny of the examination system. Indian authorities have since sought to tighten safety round such nationwide checks.
India is Telegram’s biggest market by downloads, making the short-term block probably the most important restrictions imposed on the messaging service.
That mentioned, Telegram remained accessible in India on the time of publication, and its message-editing characteristic appeared to perform usually.
Telegram and the Ministry of Electronics and Info Know-how didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
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