NTA Welcomes Temporary Restrictions on Telegram Ahead of NEET-UG 2026 Re-Examination

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has welcomed the Government of India’s decision to impose temporary restrictions on the Telegram platform in an effort to curb examination-related fraud ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21.

In an official statement issued on Tuesday, the NTA said the measures were recommended by the agency and implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to safeguard the integrity of one of the country’s most important entrance examinations.

Under the directions issued by MeitY, access to Telegram in India will be restricted for a limited period ending on June 22, covering the day of the NEET re-examination and its immediate aftermath. In addition, Telegram has been directed to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.

According to the NTA, the restrictions are aimed at preventing organized cheating networks from using the platform to spread misinformation and defraud students by falsely claiming access to examination papers.

Action Against Exam Fraud Networks

The agency said Telegram channels operating under names such as “PAPER LEAKED NEET”, “Re-NEET 2026”, “Private Mafia” and “REE NEET MAFIAA” had been openly advertising fraudulent services. These groups allegedly demanded amounts ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakhs from students and parents in exchange for purported access to the NEET re-examination paper.

NTA reiterated that no examination paper exists outside the secured examination system and warned candidates that any individual or group claiming to provide advance access to question papers is engaging in fraud.

The agency expressed gratitude to MeitY for taking timely action, stating that the measures would help ensure a safe and secure conduct of the examination.

I4C Led Coordinated Crackdown

The NTA highlighted the role played by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in tackling Telegram-based scams and misinformation campaigns targeting NEET candidates.

According to the statement, I4C has been continuously monitoring public channels and working closely with NTA, state police forces and other agencies. Based on intelligence inputs, authorities have successfully secured the removal of numerous Telegram channels, groups and automated bots involved in spreading misleading information and fraudulent offers.

The agency credited the coordinated efforts of I4C, MeitY and various state law enforcement agencies for significantly containing the impact of these rackets before the examination.

Platform-Level Action Taken as Last Resort

The NTA said that despite extensive channel-by-channel takedown operations, the scale of misuse on the platform required broader intervention.

The directions issued by MeitY followed recommendations from both the NTA and the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education. Officials noted that the platform-level measures were adopted only after intermediate remedies had failed to provide sufficient protection against the spread of fraud and misinformation.

The agency emphasized that the restrictions have been carefully calibrated to balance public interest and user convenience. The temporary suspension of access is limited to the examination period, while the feature-specific restriction targets only the message-editing function.

Concerns Over Message Editing Feature

One of the major concerns raised by the NTA involves Telegram’s message-editing capability, which allows administrators to alter previously posted messages while retaining the original timestamp.

According to the agency, this feature has allegedly been exploited in several recent examinations to create fake evidence of paper leaks. In such cases, administrators reportedly edit older messages after an examination has concluded, inserting actual question papers or answer keys while preserving earlier timestamps. Screenshots of these edited posts are then circulated as supposed proof that the examination paper was leaked before the test.

The temporary disabling of the feature until June 30 is intended to prevent the creation and circulation of such fabricated evidence during the critical post-examination period.

State Agencies Intensify Enforcement

The NTA also cited actions taken by state law enforcement agencies. The Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police had issued a public advisory on June 9 warning students against fraudulent claims related to NEET papers circulating on social media platforms.

Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch arrested members of an alleged interstate cyber fraud network operating eight Telegram channels linked to the scam. Investigators reportedly uncovered transactions worth nearly ₹1.5 crore routed through fraudulent bank accounts and found evidence that approximately 1,000 mobile numbers had been contacted within a month.

Investigations into similar activities are ongoing in several other states.

Students Urged to Ignore Rumours

Acknowledging that millions of legitimate users rely on Telegram for educational, professional and personal communication, the NTA expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience caused by the restrictions.

The agency assured students and parents that the security of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination remains intact and that the latest measures have been introduced precisely to strengthen examination integrity.

NTA urged candidates to focus on their preparation, avoid unverified information circulating on social media, and rely only on the official NEET website and verified NTA communication channels for updates.

The agency also appealed to the public to immediately report any suspicious offers related to examination papers through the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

Reaffirming its commitment to conducting a fair, transparent and credible examination, the NTA said all necessary measures are being taken to protect the interests of students and maintain public confidence in the examination process.