Telegram has approached the Delhi High Court against the Central government's decision to temporarily block access to the messaging platform ahead of the NEET UG re-test scheduled for June 21. The matter was mentioned before a bench led by Justice Tejas Karia, who agreed to take up the case for hearing later today.
The government's move comes in the wake of the NEET UG paper leak controversy, which led to the decision to conduct a re-test for affected candidates.
Authorities have been taking steps to prevent any further security breaches before the examination.
The investigation into the paper leak was earlier handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to the agency, the integrity of the examination was allegedly compromised after question papers were circulated in PDF format through messaging platforms, including WhatsApp and Telegram, before the exam took place.
Officials believe the temporary restriction was considered as part of efforts to stop the spread of unauthorised examination material ahead of the re-test. Telegram has now challenged the proposed action before the High Court, seeking relief against the government's decision.
NTA hails ban on platform
The National Testing Agency (NTA) welcomed the Centre's decision, describing it as a step aimed at protecting the integrity of the medical entrance examination. In a statement issued after the decision, the NTA said the restriction was imposed through a direction under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2020. The order limits access to Telegram for a specific and short period ending on June 22.
According to the agency, concerns had been raised over several Telegram channels that were allegedly operating in recent weeks with names suggesting links to leaked examination papers and organised malpractice. Some of the channels reportedly used names such as "Paper Leaked NEET", "Re-NEET 2026", "Private Mafia", and "Ree NEET Mafiaa".
The action followed responses submitted by the NTA and the Ministry of Education. Authorities said the move was necessary to curb the spread of misleading information and prevent any attempts to compromise the conduct of the upcoming re-examination.
The NTA stated that the temporary restriction would help ensure a fair and transparent examination process for candidates appearing in the NEET re-exam.
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