Telegram Moves Court Against India’s Temporary Ban Amid NEET Paper Leak Row
New Delhi , June 18 : Telegram has challenged the Indian government’s decision to temporarily block its platform, calling the move unfair and ineffective. The ban comes just days before millions of students are set to retake the highly important NEET 2026 medical entrance exam.
The Indian government blocked access to Telegram after allegations surfaced that leaked NEET question papers were being circulated on the platform. Officials say the decision was necessary to protect the integrity of the re-examination, which was scheduled after the original test was cancelled due to the paper leak controversy.
Telegram, however, strongly disagrees. Founder Pavel Durov called the ban a “mistake,” arguing that punishing millions of ordinary users would do little to stop the actual culprits. He pointed out that those responsible for spreading leaked papers could easily shift to other messaging apps.
The matter has now reached the Delhi High Court, where Telegram is fighting the order. The company says it has already taken action by removing hundreds of channels that were allegedly sharing leaked exam material and scams linked to NEET.
The controversy started after serious allegations that the NEET exam papers had been leaked before last month’s exam, forcing authorities to cancel the test. The case is now under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation, and over a dozen people have been arrested so far.
The cancellation of NEET triggered nationwide protests, with students and parents expressing anger over repeated failures in India’s examination system. Many aspirants said they had worked for months and now have to go through the stress all over again.
The National Testing Agency, which conducts NEET, defended the temporary ban, saying cheating networks were using Telegram in an organized way to exploit students. However, it also acknowledged that many genuine users rely on the app for education, communication, and professional purposes.
India has over 150 million Telegram users, many of whom use it to access free study materials, educational groups, and exam preparation content. This has sparked a wider debate over whether banning an entire platform is the right solution. Critics argue that similar activities could happen on apps like WhatsApp or Discord too.
Opposition leaders have also criticized the government, saying the focus should be on fixing the exam system and catching those behind the leak rather than blocking apps used by millions.
As the NEET retest approaches, authorities are taking extra precautions, including reportedly using Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters to transport question papers securely.
For students, the bigger issue remains trust. While some support strict action to prevent cheating, many believe the real solution lies in fixing the root problems in India’s examination system — not just banning platforms.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
