By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Messaging platform Telegram has challenged the Union government’s decision to impose temporary restrictions on its services in India ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, arguing that the move affects millions of users across the country.
The matter was brought before a vacation bench of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. Justice Tejas Karia agreed to take up the petition on an urgent basis after counsel representing Telegram sought immediate intervention.
During the hearing, Telegram’s legal team submitted that the government’s directive has disrupted access for over 150 million users in India, raising concerns over the impact of the restrictions on legitimate communication.
The Centre’s action follows an order issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Acting on recommendations made by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the ministry directed internet service providers to temporarily block access to Telegram until June 22.
The restriction coincides with the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21 and is aimed at preventing the circulation of content that could compromise the integrity of the examination process.
Apart from limiting access to the platform, authorities have also instructed Telegram to suspend its message-editing feature for users in India until June 30. Officials contend that the feature has previously been exploited to alter messages after examinations, enabling the creation of misleading claims and fabricated evidence related to alleged question paper leaks.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the NTA said the measures were intended to curb the activities of organised cheating networks that allegedly use digital platforms to target examination candidates.
According to the agency, the temporary restrictions are preventive steps designed to maintain public order and safeguard the credibility of the national-level medical entrance examination. The NTA maintained that the actions were necessary to stop the misuse of online communication tools during the re-examination period.
The High Court is expected to hear Telegram’s plea in detail as the company seeks relief from the restrictions imposed ahead of one of the country’s largest competitive examinations.