With India preparing to rerun one of its most cutthroat examinations, authorities have moved to choke off a key tool they say was used to game the system: the Telegram messaging app.
India blocked access to Telegram ahead of a retest of a nationwide medical college entrance examination, a step that follows last month’s scandal over a question paper leak.
The collapse of the hugely competitive exam — compounded by a separate marking fiasco in high school tests — ignited public anger and helped drive youth protests calling for the education minister’s resignation.
The Ministry of Electronics issued the order restricting access to Telegram until 22 June, the day of the retest. Message-editing features, which allow users to alter existing posts, will remain restricted until 30 June.
“Both measures have been taken in the interest of public order, in response to the organised use of the platform by cheating rackets to defraud candidates,” India’s National Testing Agency (NTA) said in a statement.
The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) ranks among the country’s most competitive exams, drawing more than two million aspiring doctors.
The NEET exam was scrapped in May after allegations that the exam paper had been leaked ahead of time, including reports that it was circulated through Telegram channels.
The stakes surrounding such tests are enormous, and the pressure to excel has helped build a booming industry of preparation, with tens of thousands of coaching centres operating across the country.
Yet the fierce contest for limited seats often carries steep personal and financial costs — conditions that can open the door for criminal networks looking to sell leaked examination papers to the highest bidder.
India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested the “kingpin” alleged to be behind the leak, naming him as a chemistry lecturer involved in the examination process for the NTA.
In response, the education ministry launched a website where the public can report “suspicious claims, unauthorised content, or fraudulent activities” related to the NEET exam.
The episode has also tapped into broader frustration in the world’s most populous nation, where rapid economic growth has not erased the reality that millions still struggle to find stable, well-paying jobs.
For many students, years of preparation are pinned to a single set of results in the hope of a professional career, with the anxiety sharpened by scarce opportunities and intense competition.
The NEET scandal erupted on top of another controversy involving the online marking system used for tests taken by nearly two million high school students.
Many students said the system had assigned incorrect grades or issued results to the wrong candidates.
