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Telegram's long history of controversy: Banned in 9 countries—why exactly are governments troubled by this app?

Posted on 16th Jun 2026 03:29 pm by rohit kumar

In a significant move aimed at protecting the integrity of the NEET UG 2026 re-examination, the Central Government has temporarily restricted access to Telegram across India. The decision, announced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will remain in effect until June 22, 2026, covering the period before, during, and immediately after the NEET UG re-exam scheduled for June 21.

 

The action comes amid growing concerns over the misuse of Telegram channels, groups, and bots to spread fake paper leak claims, misinformation, and exam-related scams targeting students and parents.

 

Why Has Telegram Been Banned in India?

 

According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), multiple investigations conducted by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), state police departments, and cybersecurity agencies revealed that several Telegram groups were actively spreading false claims about access to leaked NEET question papers.

 

Authorities found that fraudsters were allegedly demanding thousands to lakhs of rupees from students and parents by promising leaked exam papers and guaranteed success in the examination.

 

Several suspicious Telegram channels operating under names such as "Re-NEET 2026," "PAPER LEAKED DETT," and "Private Mafia" were reportedly involved in spreading misinformation and misleading candidates.

 

To curb such activities, the government invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, enabling a temporary restriction on Telegram's services across the country.

 

Message Editing Feature Disabled Until June 30

 

Apart from the temporary platform restriction, the government has also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30, 2026.

 

Officials say this feature was being misused by fraudsters who edited old messages after examinations concluded, inserting actual question papers into previously posted messages while retaining original timestamps. This created the false impression that exam papers had leaked before the test.

 

The restriction aims to prevent fabricated evidence from being circulated online and to protect the credibility of national-level examinations.

 

NTA Explains the Need for Strict Measures

 

The NTA acknowledged that millions of legitimate users rely on Telegram for education, business, employment opportunities, and personal communication. However, the agency emphasized that the temporary restriction is necessary to maintain fairness and transparency during one of India's largest entrance examinations.

 

The agency urged students to trust only official NTA announcements and avoid falling victim to social media rumors or claims related to leaked papers.

 

Why Telegram Often Faces Regulatory Scrutiny

 

Telegram has frequently been at the center of controversies involving cyber fraud, misinformation, and exam-related scams due to several platform characteristics:

 

1. Easy Account Creation

 

Users can quickly create accounts using virtual or temporary phone numbers, making anonymous activity easier.

 

2. Large Public Groups and Channels

 

Telegram supports groups and channels with thousands of members, allowing rapid dissemination of information.

 

3. Bot Automation

 

Fraudsters often use Telegram bots to automate messages, collect payments, and distribute misleading content at scale.

 

4. Message Editing Capability

 

The ability to edit messages after posting has become a major concern in cases involving fabricated paper leak evidence.

 

Countries That Have Restricted Telegram

 

India joins a growing list of countries that have imposed restrictions on Telegram at various times due to security concerns, misinformation, cybercrime, or regulatory compliance issues.

 

Countries that have implemented complete or partial restrictions include:

 

China

Iran

Pakistan

Nepal

Somalia

Thailand

Vietnam

Russia

Brazil (temporary suspensions)

Kenya (during examination periods)

France (restrictions for government officials)

Germany (selected channel blocks)

Czech Republic

Azerbaijan

 

Many governments cite concerns related to national security, online scams, hate speech, misinformation, and regulatory non-compliance as reasons for imposing restrictions.

 

Cybersecurity Experts Warn of Telegram Risks

 

Security researchers have repeatedly highlighted several risks associated with Telegram usage.

 

Malware and Exploits

 

Experts have identified vulnerabilities such as the "EvilVideo" exploit, which can disguise malicious files as harmless video content and potentially install malware on user devices.

 

Privacy Concerns

 

Unlike many users assume, Telegram does not enable end-to-end encryption by default for regular chats. Full encryption is available only through Secret Chats.

 

Financial Scams

 

The platform has witnessed a rise in cryptocurrency fraud, phishing campaigns, fake investment schemes, and educational scams.

 

Criminal Network Activity

 

Law enforcement agencies worldwide have raised concerns about criminals using Telegram's privacy features and large channels to coordinate illegal activities.

 

New NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam Guidelines

 

Alongside the Telegram restriction, the NTA has introduced several changes for the upcoming NEET UG 2026 re-examination:

 

Exam duration increased from 180 minutes to 195 minutes.

Four additional rough-work sheets will be provided.

More space will be available in answer sheets for calculations and rough work.

Enhanced monitoring mechanisms have been deployed to prevent malpractice.

What Should Students Do?

 

The NTA has advised students and parents to remain vigilant and avoid individuals or groups claiming to provide leaked question papers or guaranteed exam assistance.

 

Candidates are encouraged to:

 

Follow only official NTA notifications.

Verify information through authorized sources.

Report suspicious activities to the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930).

Use the official cybercrime reporting portal for complaints related to exam scams.

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