India temporarily bans Telegram ahead of NEET-UG 2026 re-exam
Telegram is temporarily banned in India for the NEET-UG 2026 re-exam on June 21 after the National Testing Agency flagged concerns about cheating.
The ban, in effect until June 22, was put in place under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to keep things fair for students.
Telegram edit feature disabled in India
Authorities say organized cheating groups have used Telegram to fabricate after-the-event "paper leak" evidence in respect of national examinations and defraud candidates taking the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination.
To help crack down, Telegram also has to turn off its message-editing feature in India until June 30.
Ban sparks memes and skepticism
The ban sparked a flood of memes and jokes online. One found out about it on Telegram itself!
Others wondered if blocking just one app will really stop leaks, since information can spread on other platforms too.