NEET-UG 2026: The App Is Banned. Is the Problem Solved?
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New Delhi, June 16: A day before the Telegram messaging app was temporarily suspended in India for smoothly conduct the NEET-UG 2026 Re-Examination on June 21, the UK government announced a complete ban on social media access for teenagers. Responding to the UK's move, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov shared his observations on how such restrictions can push young users toward proxies and VPNs to access the internet, potentially exposing them to more illegal and unsafe content.
"Teens are forced to switch to VPNs — and unlock far worse illegal content. We've seen this before. When the Russian government banned Telegram, 95% of Russian teenagers kept using it. They just moved to VPNs," he said.
Durov's remarks have drawn attention in India, where a significant share of NEET-UG aspirants fall within the 17-21 age bracket, including repeat candidates.
Cybersecurity researcher Nisarga Adhikary, the 19-year-old ethical hacker known for responsibly disclosing major security flaws in the CBSE's digital infrastructure, also questioned the effectiveness of the proposed restrictions.
"You can't stop paper leaks and end up blocking Telegram. A complete Telegram ban isn't even practical. The platform is designed in a way that allows users to bypass restrictions through proxies and other circumvention methods," he said.
Why Authorities Want Telegram's Message-Editing Feature Disabled
The Centre's order, issued on the recommendation of the National Testing Agency (NTA), seeks to curb the spread of fake paper-leak claims and examination-related fraud.
According to the order, several Telegram channels operating under names such as "PAPER LEAKED NEET", "Re-NEET 2026", "Private Mafia", and "REE NEET MAFIAA" allegedly demanded payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakhs from candidates and their families in exchange for purported access to examination papers.
"NTA has placed on record, and reiterates, that no such paper exists outside the secured examination chain. Any promise to provide such material is fraudulent," the order stated.
The temporary suspension is set to remain in effect until June 22, covering the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination and its immediate aftermath.
Explaining the decision to disable Telegram's message-editing feature, authorities said the tool allows channel administrators to alter previously posted messages — including replacing attached files such as PDFs — while retaining the original timestamp.
According to the agency, this feature has allegedly been used to create misleading evidence of paper leaks.
"A channel administrator edits an older, innocuous message to insert the actual question paper after the examination has concluded. Screenshots of the edited message are then circulated as purported proof that the paper was available before the examination," the order said.
The government has also urged the public to report suspicious solicitations through the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, while assuring that NTA helplines will remain available to assist students and parents.
