India blocks Telegram until June 22 to curb NEET-UG fraud

Indian authorities have temporarily blocked access to the Telegram messaging app until June 22 in an unprecedented move to combat exam-related fraud ahead of a major medical entrance test. The restriction, which began on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, was implemented just days before the scheduled reexamination for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate courses (NEET-UG) on June 21.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invoked emergency powers under the Information Technology Act to order the block, citing the organized use of Telegram by cheating rackets to defraud candidates. Major telecom operators have restricted access to the platform, and Apple and Google have removed the Telegram app from their Indian app stores in compliance with the directive. In a separate order, Telegram has been directed to disable its message-editing feature for already-posted content in India until June 30.

Officials from the National Testing Agency (NTA), which administers the exam, stated the measures were a last resort after other efforts failed to stop fraudulent networks. According to the NTA, scammers have for months operated Telegram channels with names like...