The National Testing Agency (NTA) has welcomed the Central Government’s decision to temporarily restrict access to the Telegram messaging platform across India until June 22, 2026, ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21.
According to the NTA, the precautionary measure aims to prevent the spread of misinformation and curb fraudulent activities targeting students appearing for the medical entrance examination.
In an official statement, the agency said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed the temporary restriction on Telegram during the examination period and the immediate days following it. The ministry has also instructed the platform to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.
The NTA stated that several groups allegedly used Telegram channels to mislead candidates and families by falsely claiming access to NEET-UG question papers in exchange for money. Authorities believe the temporary restrictions will help prevent examination-related fraud and protect students from scams.
Officials also noted that limiting the message-editing feature can help stop the creation of misleading content or fabricated screenshots that could falsely suggest a question paper leak. Such measures are intended to maintain transparency and public confidence in the examination process.
While acknowledging that the temporary restrictions may inconvenience some genuine users, the NTA emphasized that the decision is limited in duration and has been implemented in the interest of safeguarding the integrity of the examination.
The agency reiterated that the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination will be conducted as scheduled on June 21 and advised candidates to rely only on official NTA communication channels for authentic updates and information.
The NTA also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and state police agencies for their coordinated efforts to combat examination-related fraud and ensure a fair testing environment.
The temporary restrictions are part of broader efforts to strengthen examination security and protect students from misinformation during one of India’s most important competitive examinations.
