NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam: Telegram Access Restricted Till June 22 to Curb Paper Leak Rumours

Ahead of NEET UG 2026 re-exam, government has decided on temporary restrictions on Telegram and disabled message editing to prevent exam fraud, fake paper leak claims and misinformation.

Temporary Ban On Telegram To Curb Paper Leak Ahead of NEET

NEET 2026 Re-Exam: National Testing Agency has welcomed Government's decision to impose temporary restrictions on Telegram in India ahead of NEET UG re-exam scheduled for June 21, 2026. This will prevent cheating, misinformation and fraudulent activities targeting those appearing for exam.

Under directions issued by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Telegram in India will remain restricted until June 22, 2026. This platform has been asked to disable its message editing feature in India until June 30, 2026.

According to NTA, organised cheating groups have been using Telegram channels to mislead candidates by claiming they can provide access to NEET question papers. Authorities said these claims are completely false and are designed to defraud candidates and their families.

Message-Editing Feature Under Scrutiny

NTA explained that Telegram's message-editing feature has allegedly been misused in recent exams. Administrators of certain channels were able to edit old messages and insert exam papers after exam had already taken place, while retaining original timestamp.

Such edited posts were later circulated as supposed proof of a paper leak creating confusion among candidates and public. The temporary suspension of this feature is intended to prevent  creation of such misleading content after NEET exam.

I4C and Law Enforcement 

Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under Ministry of Home Affairs, has been coordinating action against Telegram based fraud related to NEET UG 2026. Working with NTA, MeitY, and state police agencies, I4C has helped remove numerous Telegram channels, groups and bots that openly advertised fake paper leaks and exam related scams.

Fraudulent Channels Targeted Students

Authorities reported that several Telegram channels operating under names suggesting paper leaks were demanding amounts ranging from few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees from candidates in exchange for alleged examination papers.

State law enforcement agencies have also intensified action against cyber fraud networks. Bihar Police issued a public advisory warning candidates against fake paper leak claims. Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch reportedly arrested members of interstate fraud network operating multiple Telegram channels and allegedly collecting large sums of money from candidates.

Students Asked to Report Fraud

NTA has urged students and parents to immediately report any suspicious offers related to question papers, admissions or examination manipulation through official cybercrime reporting channels and NTA helplines.