Telegram app restricted in India at NTA request until June 22
The Indian government has ordered a temporary one-week block on the messaging app Telegram at the request of the National Testing Agency. The move aims to curb the spread of fraudulent exam papers and cheating rackets ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination.
Why it matters
This represents a significant precedent for government-mandated platform blocking of a major messaging service in India, raising questions about digital censorship and platform accountability.
At the National Testing Agency (NTA) ’s request, the Union government is blocking the messaging app Telegram in India for a week until Monday (June 22, 2026), following what the NTA described as a “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 article reports on government actions and agency statements without taking a stance on the necessity or morality of the ban.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in