The central government has imposed a temporary ban on Telegram in India ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, which is scheduled for June 21. The National Testing Agency welcomed the move, saying the measure was aimed at tackling cheating rackets and misinformation.
Messaging app Telegram has been blocked in India till June 22, with the government saying that it has been used to “defraud candidates” taking the national medical entrance examination.
The medical-entrance examination held on May 3 was cancelled amidst allegations of irregularities, leaving lakhs of aspirants in despair.The re-test is scheduled to be held on June 21.
Memes on the Telegram ban
The ban on Telegram led to a flurry of memes on social media. Take a look:
One X user said he got to know about the Telegram ban… on Telegram itself
Many were of the opinion that the ban would prove futile, given that question papers can still be leaked through other messaging platforms
Telegram banned temporarily in India
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), acting on recommendations made by the National Testing Agency (NTA), has issued a direction under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, restricting access to the Telegram platform in India for a defined and limited period ending June 22, 2026 covering the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath.
A separate direction requires Telegram to disable in India the message-editing feature for already-posted messages till June 30, addressing the specific structural feature through which the platform has been used to fabricate after-the-event “paper leak” evidence in respect of national examinations, the NTA said in a statement.
“Both measures have been taken in the interest of public order, in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates appearing for the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled on 21 June 2026,” the NTA said, according to news agency PTI.