Story perspectives

India Blocks Telegram Over NEET Exam Fraud, Removes App

6/16/2026

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Summary

India Blocks Telegram

India blocked Telegram until June 22 to curb exam-paper fraud before the NEET-UG re-test on June 21.
The National Testing Agency ordered the block under Section 69A of the IT Act.
The Cyber Crime Coordination Center shut down Telegram channels and bots demanding money.
Google and Apple were told to temporarily remove Telegram from Indian app stores, a move rights groups called disproportionate and founder Pavel Durov said punishes over 150 million users.

Summary

India Blocks Telegram

The Section 69A order forced telecom operators in India to block Telegram’s URLs and IP addresses, halting file transfers and message routing.
The ban disrupted nationwide fraud networks that relied on the platform.
Digital rights groups warned the block could set a repeatable precedent for shutting down major platforms during national events.
Tech analysts said the temporary restriction may become a playbook for future government interventions in digital communications.

History

Historical Context

The 2008 amendment to India’s Information Technology Act added sections such as 66A and 69, granting the government powers to monitor and block online content. By 2015 the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had blocked more than 1,000 URLs, and in 2024 the National Testing Agency used the same authority to order telecoms to block Telegram, affecting about 150 million users.

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India Blocks Telegram

India blocked Telegram until June 22 to curb exam-paper fraud before the NEET-UG re-test on June 21.
The National Testing Agency ordered the block under Section 69A of the IT Act.
The Cyber Crime Coordination Center shut down Telegram channels and bots demanding money.
Google and Apple were told to temporarily remove Telegram from Indian app stores, a move rights groups called disproportionate and founder Pavel Durov said punishes over 150 million users.

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