India lifts Telegram ban ahead of NEET exam, editing feature stays disabled

The Indian government temporarily blocked Telegram nationwide until June 22 as a precautionary measure before the NEET‑UG 2026 re‑examination, citing organized misuse of the platform for sharing fake question papers and other fraudulent content. The Delhi High Court upheld the block, finding the procedure under Section 69A of the IT Act proper and proportionate.

The ban was lifted on June 23, restoring Telegram access through major app stores, though the platform's message‑editing feature will remain disabled until June 30. During the ban, VPN downloads surged as users sought work‑arounds. Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticized the move, saying it affected over 150 million Indian users and would not stop leaks, and he suggested a telecom firm’s involvement, which the firm denied.

Partial restoration saw Android users regaining access more quickly than some Apple users, with a few still unable to download the app. Authorities reported no major cheating incidents in the re‑exam, and police continued investigations into exam‑related fraud across several states.