India blocks Telegram messaging app for medical exam fraud

India has blocked the Telegram messaging app.
REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File
India has temporarily blocked the Telegram messaging app, alleging that it was used in an attempt to cheat candidates for a national medical entrance exam. The test had already been the target of accusations of question leaks last month, which led to the cancellation of millions of results.
The ban, unprecedented in the country, was adopted "in response to the organized use of the platform by fraud networks to deceive candidates who will participate in the reapplication of the National Eligibility and Entrance Exam (NEET) 2026, scheduled for June 21, 2026", the National Testing Agency of the Ministry of Education of India.
The measure will remain in force until June 22.
Last month, the Indian government canceled the entrance exam for medical courses after authorities stated that they were investigating reports of question leaks.
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According to the government, channels hosted on the platform - whose names were not disclosed - announced the sale of early access to the test content.
Following suspicions of leaks and the cancellation of the results of 2.3 million students, protests occurred in different regions of India. Among them were demonstrations led by the viral People's Cockroach Janta Party, which demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Indian law allows blocking of websites and applications
The restriction on Telegram was determined based on a provision in India's information technology legislation that allows the government to block access to websites and online platforms in defense of "India's sovereignty and integrity."
A digital rights advocacy group said the measure represents a violation of freedom of expression and will not solve the problem.
"Closing Telegram is a palliative solution and a disproportionate response to exam fraud", declared the Internet Freedom Foundation.
The organization also stated that the measure "will punish ordinary users instead of attacking the systemic origin of exam leaks".
In a statement released on Tuesday, the government regretted the inconvenience caused and stated that the suspension was adopted as a "last resort", after previous attempts to remove this type of content from the platform were unsuccessful effect.
Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea also did not immediately respond to questions about the receipt and implementation of the blocking order.
According to sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Alphabet, Google's parent company, and Apple have received orders from the government to temporarily remove Telegram from their app stores and must comply with the order.

Source: G1