The Union Government on Tuesday has imposed a temporary restriction on the messaging application Telegram ahead of the NEET UG 2026 re-exam scheduled for June 21, 2026, which had been leaked after the original test was held on May 3. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the exam, has welcomed the decision. Notably, the move is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the pan-India medical examination.

MeitY announces decision

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) acted on the recommendations made by the NTA, and has issued orders to temporarily restrict access on the messaging platform until June 22, 2026. Additionally, Telegram has been ordered to disable its message editing feature in India until June 30.

As per NTA, the measures are aimed at curbing the organised cheating attempts, preventing the propagation of misinformation and shielding candidates from online fraud linked to the alleged paper leaks.

Editing feature on the app under scanner

The NTA has also voiced concerns over Telegram’s message-editing functionality, claiming it has been misused to create fabricated evidence of NEET question paper leaks.

Officials aware of the development said channel administrators could allegedly edit older posts after an examination had been conducted and can also replace original attachments with actual question papers, while retaining the earlier timestamp.

Such manipulated posts were then circulated online as purported proof that the exam papers had been leaked before the commencement of the test.

The agency said the temporary suspension of the editing feature will significantly reduce the circulation of misleading content and will also contribute to preserving confidence of the public in the examination process.

Crackdown intensified against fraud networks

Furthermore, the NTA has credited the Ministry of Home Affairs-led Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) in New Delhi for spearheading action against Telegram-based fraud and misinformation campaigns.

As part of the process, the I4C has removed numerous channels, groups and automated bots allegedly promoting fake promises of NEET question papers. Authorities have maintained that such networks often target anxious students and parents by offering purported access to exam papers in lieu of money.

Students advised to rely on official announcements

The NTA, reiterating its stand, stressed that no NEET question paper exists outside the secured examination framework and described all claims of advance access to question papers as fraudulent.

Although the agency acknowledged that temporary restrictions to Telegram may inconvenience genuine users, it underlined that the measure is limited to the examination period.