Telegram challenges India's temporary ban in Delhi HC over NEET exam

Telegram has moved the Delhi High Court against the Centre's temporary block order, issued over alleged misuse for cheating in the upcoming NEET-UG 2026 re-exam. The ban, affecting 150M users, is scheduled to last until June 22.

Instant messaging platform Telegram has approached the Delhi High Court, challenging the Central government's decision to temporarily block its operations in India until June 22 in connection with the upcoming NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. The matter was mentioned on an urgent basis before a vacation bench of Justice Tejas Karia by Advocate Madhav Khosla. The Court agreed to hear the plea later in the day.

According to lawyers appearing in the case, the temporary restriction has affected more than 150 million Telegram users across India.

Centre's Rationale for the Ban

The Centre had ordered the blocking of Telegram following a request from the National Testing Agency (NTA), which alleged that the platform was being used by organised cheating rackets to mislead and defraud candidates appearing for the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled on June 21. Following the government's direction, telecom operators reportedly began restricting access to Telegram, while the application's listing was removed from major app stores.

The government has described the move as a temporary and targeted measure aimed at preventing the circulation of leaked examination material and related scams ahead of the re-test.

Telegram Criticises Blocking Order

Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticised the blocking order, stating that the platform had already removed hundreds of channels allegedly involved in sharing leaked examination content and scams. He said the ban affects millions of ordinary users and argued that illegal activities could shift to other platforms.

NTA Defends Decision

The NTA, however, maintained that the decision was necessary to ensure a fair and secure examination process. It also said the restriction is limited in duration and would be lifted after the re-examination.

Court to Examine Legality

The Delhi High Court is expected to examine the legality and proportionality of the government's decision, as well as its impact on users and digital communication services.

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