New Delhi, June 16 -- The National Testing Agency (NTA) restricted access to the Telegram platform in India for a defined and limited period ending 22 June 2026, covering the day of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath. The restriction addresses the specific structural feature through which the platform has been used to fabricate after-the-event "paper leak" evidence in respect of national examinations.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued these calibrated directions following recommendations by the NTA and the Department of Higher Education to check organised cheating rackets.

According to the NTA, the platform-level restriction comes under Section 69A of the Information Technol...