The Delhi High Court has upheld a temporary ban on the Telegram messaging app in India. The ban, implemented on May 3, 2026 , aims to prevent the circulation of leaked examination papers and misinformation. This decision follows alleged leaks of the NEET UG 2026 examination. The ban is in effect until June 22, 2026 .
NEET UG Re-Exam Integrity
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2026 examination was reportedly compromised by leaked papers circulated on Telegram. The examination originally took place on May 3, 2026 . The spread of fake information and alleged illegal activities on the platform prompted government action. Officials met with Telegram representatives before announcing the temporary suspension of the app, its links, and web version within India.
Court Ruling and Telegram's Response
Telegram challenged the ban in the Delhi High Court. A bench led by Justice Tejas Karia dismissed Telegram's plea. The court ruled that the government's actions were legal and reasonable. These actions were specifically taken to protect the integrity of the medical college admission exam.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticized the ban. He stated on X that temporarily banning Telegram was a mistake. Durov argued that the leaks would simply move to other platforms. He also mentioned that Telegram removed hundreds of channels sharing leaked exam materials in India. The platform also improved its 'edited' label visibility to combat scams.
Arrests in Bihar
The NEET-UG re-examination was held on June 21, 2026 . As of a Monday report, no fraudulent activity has been reported during this re-exam. However, Bihar police arrested at least 30 individuals. They are accused of attempting irregularities during the re-examination in the state.
Among those arrested, 18 individuals worked at exam centers. They were detained for violating biometric verification norms. The majority of the other arrests were impersonators. These individuals allegedly attempted to take the exam on behalf of registered candidates.
