Messaging platform Telegram has approached the Delhi High Court challenging the Central Government’s temporary restriction on its services in India ahead of the NEET UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21.
The matter is expected to be heard by Justice Tajas Karia later on Wednesday. Telegram has questioned the government’s decision to block access to the platform until June 22, arguing that the move affects millions of legitimate users across the country.
Why Was Telegram Restricted?
The temporary restriction was imposed following concerns raised by the National Testing Agency (NTA) over alleged exam-related fraud and misinformation circulating through Telegram channels.
According to the NTA, several groups on the platform were falsely claiming to possess leaked NEET re-exam question papers. Authorities alleged that fraudsters were demanding payments ranging from ₹14,000 to ₹25,000, with some cases involving demands as high as ₹10 lakh from students and their families.
The agency said the action was necessary to safeguard candidates from scams and maintain the integrity of the national medical entrance examination.
Message Editing Feature Also Disabled
Along with restricting access to the platform, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reportedly directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.
Officials believe the measure will help prevent the creation of misleading “paper leak” claims through edited messages carrying older timestamps.
The NTA stated that the restriction is temporary and intended to curb the spread of fake information during the examination period.
Telegram Founder Criticises the Decision
Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticised the restriction, saying it unfairly impacts ordinary users rather than those responsible for exam leaks.
In a post on social media platform X, Durov argued that blocking Telegram affects more than 150 million users in India while doing little to stop those involved in fraudulent activities.
He also claimed that such activities could simply shift to other digital platforms instead of being eliminated.
NTA Defends the Restriction
NTA Director General Abhishek Singh defended the government’s decision, saying the restriction would significantly reduce access to fraudulent channels targeting students.
According to Singh, even if some operators continue to run channels through VPNs or from outside India, the inability of most students to access them would reduce the effectiveness of the scam networks.
He added that the primary goal is to protect students from financial losses and prevent them from being misled by fake promises of leaked examination papers.
NEET UG Re-Exam Under Tight Security
The NEET UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled to take place on June 21 after the original examination held on May 3 was cancelled amid allegations of irregularities and paper leaks.
Authorities have intensified monitoring measures and cybersecurity efforts to ensure a fair and transparent examination process.
The Delhi High Court’s decision on Telegram’s plea is expected to have significant implications for digital platform regulation and exam security measures in India.
