In a major move ahead of the NEET UG 2026 re-exam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Central Government have temporarily restricted access to Telegram in India.
The decision comes after several Telegram channels allegedly spread fake paper leak claims and attempted to mislead students by offering supposed access to exam papers in exchange for money.
According to the NTA, the restriction is aimed at protecting candidates from fraud and preventing the spread of misinformation during the examination period.
Until When Will Telegram Remain Blocked?
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a directive under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
As per the order, access to Telegram in India has been temporarily restricted until June 22, 2026.
This period covers the NEET UG 2026 re-examination and the immediate period after the exam.
The government has clarified that this is a temporary measure taken to ensure the integrity of the examination process.
Why Has Telegram’s Edit Feature Been Restricted?
Apart from the temporary restriction, Telegram has also been directed to disable the message-editing feature for previously posted messages in India until June 30, 2026.
The NTA explained that some users were misusing this feature to create fake evidence of paper leaks.
According to the agency, channel administrators could edit old messages after an exam was conducted and replace the original content with the actual question paper.
Since the timestamp remained unchanged, these edited messages were then shared as “proof” that the paper had leaked before the examination.
The government says disabling this feature will help prevent such misleading claims in the future.
NTA Warns Students About Fraudulent Telegram Channels
The NTA has identified several Telegram channels that allegedly tried to exploit students and their families.
Some of these channels reportedly operated under names such as:
PAPER LEAKED NEET
Re-NEET 2026
Private Mafia
REE NEET MAFIAA
According to the agency, these channels demanded amounts ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees while claiming to provide access to examination papers.
The NTA has strongly stated that no exam paper is available outside the secure examination system and that all such claims are completely fake.
The agency has warned that strict action will be taken against individuals involved in these activities.
NTA Launches Special Portal to Report Fake Claims
To help students and parents report suspicious activities, the NTA has launched a dedicated reporting platform.
Candidates, parents, coaching institutes, and members of the public can use the portal to report claims related to paper leaks, result manipulation, or any other fraudulent activity connected to the NEET re-exam scheduled for June 21.
Users can submit details such as:
Information about the suspicious claim
Name of the platform or channel
Date and time of the incident
Screenshots, links, or supporting documents
The NTA says every report will help authorities identify and act against fraudsters attempting to mislead candidates.
Admit Cards Already Released
Meanwhile, the NTA has also released the NEET UG 2026 re-exam admit cards.
Candidates can download their hall tickets from the official NTA website using their application number and date of birth.
The agency has advised students to rely only on official sources for exam-related updates and avoid falling for rumors circulating on social media platforms.
With the re-examination approaching, authorities say these measures have been taken to ensure a fair, transparent, and secure examination process for all candidates.
