India orders temporary ban on Telegram over exam fraud concerns

India’s National Testing Agency announced a nationwide ban on Telegram until June 22 to curb fraud ahead of the NEET (UG) re-test scheduled for June 21. The agency cited concerns that cheating networks were using the platform to sell fake exam papers and spread misinformation. Additionally, Telegram was asked to disable its message-editing feature until June 30, as it had been misused to fabricate evidence of exam leaks. The restrictions were imposed under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, which allows the government to block online services for public order concerns. The agency stated that the measures were necessary to prevent organized cheating rackets from defrauding candidates. The decision follows a major paper leak scandal in May, which led to a federal investigation and tighter security measures for the exam. India is Telegram’s largest market by downloads, making this block one of the most significant restrictions on the platform. Digital rights advocates criticized the move as disproportionate, arguing that blocking the entire platform was an excessive response to exam fraud. The Internet Freedom Foundation questioned whether Section 69A permits such broad restrictions. Despite the order, Telegram remained accessible in India, and its message-editing feature appeared unaffected at the time of reporting. Neither Telegram nor the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology responded immediately to requests for comment.