India curbs Telegram use over medical exam fraud concerns
Published: 06:06 AM,Jun 16,2026 | EDITED : 10:06 AM,Jun 16,2026
India has blocked the Telegram messaging app until June 22, saying the platform has been used to 'defraud candidates' taking the medical entrance examination, the Ministry of Education said in a statement on Tuesday.
The government said it was restricting access to the Telegram platform in India for a defined and limited period. The restriction was issued under a stringent provision of the IT law, which empowers the government to block access to online sites in the 'interest of sovereignty and integrity of India'.
Last month, the Indian government cancelled a key undergraduate entrance exam known as National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), after authorities discovered its questions had been leaked beforehand.
The government has scheduled a fresh examination for June 21.
The measure was taken 'in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates appearing for the NEET 2026 re-examination scheduled on 21 June 2026,' said the Ministry of Education's National Testing Agency.
Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment.