The Centre has ordered a temporary block on Telegram until June 22, 2026, following concerns raised by the National Testing Agency over organised groups allegedly circulating fake question papers and paid “leak” claims.
BY PC Bureau
June 16, 2026: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has strongly criticised the Indian government’s decision to temporarily restrict the messaging platform ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, saying the move unfairly targets millions of ordinary users without effectively stopping the underlying issue of exam-related misinformation and leaks.
In a post on X, Durov argued that the action impacts more than 150 million Telegram users in India, while the actual actors responsible for circulating alleged leaked papers are likely to shift to other platforms instead of being stopped.
READ: NSCN (I-M) Demotes Two Officers Over Shootout That Left Four Dead
According to official orders, access to the messaging platform will remain restricted until June 22, 2026, covering the NEET-UG re-examination scheduled for June 21 and the immediate period thereafter.
The action follows recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA), which has flagged concerns over organised groups allegedly exploiting online channels to spread fake question papers, paid “leak” claims, and edited content designed to mislead students. Google has already removed Telegram from its Play Store in India to comply with the directive, while Apple is expected to implement similar restrictions.
In a post on X, Durov claimed that banning or restricting Telegram does not address the core problem, as similar content, including alleged exam materials and rumours, continues to circulate across multiple messaging services.
India’s IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions.
This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials.
And the ban hasn’t stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps. https://t.co/CzQWN4mXfb
— Pavel Durov (@durov) June 16, 2026
According to him, enforcement efforts should focus more on the individuals and networks responsible for creating and distributing such content rather than limiting access to a widely used communication platform.
Government officials, however, maintain that the restrictions are a preventive measure aimed at dismantling coordinated cheating rackets and curbing the rapid spread of false exam-related claims that have been causing widespread confusion, panic, and mental stress among candidates preparing for one of India’s most competitive entrance examinations.
