Indian government temporarily bans Telegram ahead of NEET-UG re-exam
Ahead of the NEET-UG re-exam on June 21, the Indian government temporarily banned Telegram, saying its features could make it easier to leak exam papers and share sensitive information.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta explained in court that Telegram's bot system and message-editing tools allow users to spread data quickly and change messages without a visible timestamp indicating when edits were made, making it tough for authorities to track down offenders.
Telegram counsel calls ban disproportionate
Unlike other apps, one person can create up to 40 bots on Telegram, forming networks that are hard to monitor.
The lack of visible timestamps for edited messages adds another layer of risk.
Counsel for Telegram called the ban "disproportionate," pointing out its 150 million Indian users and recent efforts to follow government rules.
But officials felt these steps were not enough to protect the integrity of the exam process, especially since leaks have happened before.