• India has temporarily blocked the Telegram app until June 22 amid exam fraud concerns.
• The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) was previously canceled due to leaked questions.
• Protests erupted from students demanding accountability from the Education Minister.
• The government cited Telegram's use by cheating rackets as a pressing issue.
• This restriction is seen as an infringement of free speech by activists and has sparked criticism.

India has announced a temporary ban on the Telegram messaging app until June 22, citing the platform's involvement in defrauding candidates preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). This decision comes after allegations of question paper leaks that led to the cancellation of the previous exam conducted in May, as confirmed by the Ministry of Education and the National Testing Agency (NTA) Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The ban was instituted under a strict provision of India's IT law that allows the government to limit access to online services deemed a threat to national integrity. Officials claim the platform was exploited by cheating rackets to assist candidates in fraudulently obtaining answers during the upcoming NEET re-examination scheduled for June 21, 2026 BBC and Al Jazeera.

Student protests have erupted across the nation in response to the exam cancellations and ongoing concerns about fraud. A satirical protest group, the Cockroach Janta Party, has gained traction, highlighting the demand for the resignation of the Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

The Ministry of Education has expressed regret about the inconvenience caused by the block, emphasizing that it is a necessary measure as previous attempts to eliminate cheating-related content from Telegram proved ineffective. Critics, including Internet rights advocates, argue that the ban is a disproportionate response, arguing that it does little to address the root causes of examination fraud and disproportionately impacts legitimate users of the platform Reuters, BBC, and Channel News Asia.