Breaking: India invokes Section 69A of the IT Act to block Telegram until June 22 and disable message editing till June 30 — ahead of the 22.8-lakh-student NEET UG retest on June 21. Full investigation: the paper leak, the fraudsters, the CBI arrests, the Cockroach Janta Party protests, and a historic first — the Indian Air Force deployed to deliver exam papers.
Breaking: The government has invoked Section 69A of the IT Act to cut off access to Telegram across India — days before the re-exam that 22.8 lakh medical aspirants have been waiting for since May
By: StoryRendered
Published: June 16, 2026
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has blocked Telegram across India under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. The ban runs until June 22, 2026 — a day after the NEET UG retest. Telegram's message-editing feature has additionally been disabled until June 30, 2026.
At the heart of India's most consequential exam crisis in decades, the government has reached for an extraordinary power. On June 16, 2026 — five days before 22.8 lakh medical aspirants sit for the NEET UG retest — the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued an order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, blocking all access to the Telegram messaging platform across India.
The recommendation came from the National Testing Agency (NTA). The operational coordination was handled by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, working with state police in Bihar, Gujarat, and Rajasthan — the three states from which most cyber fraud inputs were received.
It is the first time in Indian history that Section 69A has been invoked to impose a nationwide, temporary block on Telegram.
The NTA's official statement was direct: "NTA has placed on the record, and reiterates, that there is no such paper available outside the secured examination chain. The promise of any such material is, in every instance, a fraud." The agency also expressed "regret for the inconvenience caused to genuine users" — acknowledging that Telegram is used daily by millions of Indians for education, business, and personal communication.
The less-publicised part of the government's action is arguably the more technically clever one. Alongside blocking access entirely, India has disabled Telegram's message-editing feature until June 30 — covering the full post-exam period.
This targets a specific exploitation method that has been used in previous exam fraud cycles: a Telegram channel admin can edit an old message — replacing its attached PDF file — while the original send-timestamp remains visible and unchanged. This means fraudsters could post a blank message before the exam, insert the actual question paper after the exam, and then circulate the chat as "proof" that the paper was leaked in advance.
With message editing disabled, every message becomes permanently locked as it was originally sent. Chat logs can no longer be retroactively forged to simulate a pre-exam leak. Investigators and courts can treat timestamps as reliable evidence.
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) is India's sole national gateway to MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH programmes across all medical colleges — including AIIMS and JIPMER, after the National Medical Commission Act of 2019 made it mandatory for every institution. It is India's largest undergraduate entrance exam by applicant count.
To understand the scale of what happened, you need to understand what NEET UG means to an Indian family. For most aspirants, preparing for this exam represents two to four years of intensive study, tens of thousands of rupees in coaching fees, and the complete postponement of any other life plan. For the 22.8 lakh students who sat the exam on May 3, 2026 — and then learned it had been cancelled — it is not an inconvenience. It is a rupture.
The 2026 NEET UG was held on May 3, 2026, across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, at more than 5,400 exam centres. Over 22 lakh students appeared — the largest cohort in the exam's history.
The leak came to light not through surveillance or intelligence, but through a teacher's instinct.
Shashikant Suthar, a chemistry teacher from Sikar, Rajasthan, obtained a "guess paper" circulating in coaching circles and compared it side-by-side with the actual exam paper. What he found was not a coincidence: nearly 120–140 questions matched exactly — including wording, punctuation, answer options, and sequence. The guess paper ran to approximately 410 questions total; around 140 of the real exam's questions appeared verbatim within it.
The leaked material reportedly covered Biology and Chemistry — accounting for roughly 600 out of 720 total marks. Investigators believe the material had been in circulation nearly two days before the exam.
Origin Point: Nashik, Maharashtra — where key racket members coordinated
Routing: A single physical copy of the paper was sent from Nashik to Haryana
Distribution: The material then spread via WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, and coaching-linked digital circuits
Price: Sold for up to ₹12 lakh per candidate
Scope: Material reportedly covered Biology and Chemistry — ~600 of 720 total exam marks
On May 12, 2026, NTA took the unprecedented step of officially cancelling the NEET UG 2026 exam for all 22.8 lakh students — the first time in the exam's history that the entire paper was scrapped and a full retest ordered. NTA posted on X that the decision was taken "in the interest of students" and confirmed that no fresh registration or additional fees would be required. The government promised full refunds of exam fees.
The same day, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officially took over the investigation from state police forces.
Telegram has no physical office in India. Its headquarters is in Dubai. Indian law enforcement cannot serve notices easily, responses take months, and translation requirements add further delays. Other major social media platforms have India offices and respond promptly to takedown requests. Telegram does not.
Telegram is uniquely suited to exam fraud for a cluster of reasons that investigators, cyber law experts, and the NTA have all independently identified:
No Indian Office: Since Telegram has no physical presence in India, notices require translation and often go unanswered for months. As Athena K Solomon — the law student who filed India's first PIL seeking a Telegram ban in 2019, now faculty at NLU Odisha — put it: "If someone wants to commit an online crime, Telegram is the best bet because the chances of getting caught are very low."
Anonymous Channels: Channel admins can remain entirely anonymous. No SIM verification is required for many features. Phone numbers are hidden from recipients by default.
Large File Sharing: Telegram allows PDFs and large documents to be shared freely, at scale, across channels with unlimited subscribers — something WhatsApp and Instagram restrict.
Message Editing: As detailed above, the editing feature allowed fake "evidence" of pre-exam leaks to be fabricated after the fact.
Payment Collection: Fraudsters requested payments via gift cards and other anonymous transfer methods, maintaining anonymity at every point.
The scale of the problem is staggering. Ahead of NEET UG 2025 alone, NTA identified 106 Telegram channels spreading fake information. In the run-up to the 2026 retest, channels operating under names like "PAPER LEAKED NEET," "Re-NEET 2026," "Private Mafia," and "REE NEET MAFIAA" were demanding sums ranging from ₹5,000 to several lakh rupees from candidates and their families.
Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 grants the Government of India the power to issue content-blocking orders to online intermediaries — ISPs, telecom providers, search engines, online marketplaces, and messaging platforms — when content is deemed a threat to national security, sovereignty, or public order.
The Supreme Court has previously upheld Section 69A as constitutionally valid, noting that adequate procedural safeguards are built in. The provision has been used before: to block Twitter content, to ban dozens of Chinese apps in 2020, and to restrict access to various websites.
This is the first time Section 69A has been used to impose a temporary national block on Telegram.
NTA characterised the measures as "calibrated and bounded in time — minimum restrictions necessary during a sensitive examination period", emphasising the ban came only after channel-level takedowns and other enforcement actions were found insufficient at the scale required.
CBI and state police forces have made over 13 arrests across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar, Gujarat, and Delhi.
| Name | Role | Arrested By | Key Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| P.V. Kulkarni | Pune chemistry professor; NTA-linked | CBI | Handwritten notes matching exam paper; ran classes where questions were dictated |
| Manisha G. Mandhare | Biology professor | CBI | Part of Nashik-origin leak network |
| Manisha S. Havaldar | Headmistress, Pune school; NTA subject expert | CBI (May 22) | Printed leaked material; burned notes; erased chat history; NEET papers + NTA ID found in raid |
| Shivaraj Motegaonkar | Owner, Renukai Chemistry Classes, Latur | CBI (May 18) | Linked to paper leak distribution network |
| Sumer Singh Meena | Jaipur fraudster; Telegram channel operator | Ahmedabad Cyber Crime | Ran 8 fake channels; ₹1.5 crore in accounts |
| Akash Meena | Kota fraudster; co-operated fake channels | Ahmedabad Cyber Crime | Co-accused in Private Mafia channel scam |
| Navin Yadav | Bihar hacker | Bihar Economic Offences Unit | Hacked 150 NEET candidate accounts; diverted govt fee refunds |
A particularly disturbing revelation emerged from the CBI's investigation: evidence suggests the same racket responsible for the 2026 leak also compromised the 2025 NEET UG paper — making this not a single incident but a sustained, multi-year criminal operation embedded within the examination system.
The government's response to the May 3 catastrophe has produced a security architecture for the June 21 retest that is, by any measure, without precedent in Indian examination history.
For the first time in Indian history, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been deployed to transport NEET UG question paper packets to 18 locations across the country. Mi-17 helicopters and other IAF aircraft are being used to ensure that no paper packet is exposed to civilian handling chains during transport.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, attended by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and senior IAF officers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was personally briefed about the security arrangements.
Question paper setters and translators have been placed in a secure location with restricted communication until the exam concludes. No single individual has access to the entire operational chain — a deliberate compartmentalisation that the 2026 leak exposed as a previous failure.
Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a special meeting reviewing state-level preparedness with a specific focus on "student convenience, security arrangements, and the integrity of the examination process." Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan also reviewed all preparations across ministries.
The Telegram ban under Section 69A is itself a security measure — eliminating the primary platform through which fraud channels have operated in every NEET cycle since 2024.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been the face of the government's response — and the primary target of opposition demands for resignation. He chaired a high-level review meeting with Central Security and Intelligence Agencies, met directly with representatives from Meta, Google, and Telegram about platform cooperation, and ordered a crackdown on fake channels.
His most significant announcement: NEET UG will move to a Computer-Based Test (CBT) format from 2027, ending the pen-and-paper OMR format that has been exploited in multiple consecutive years. He also acknowledged what he described as "a breach in the command chain" — a rare admission of systemic failure.
Pradhan declined to take questions from the media in the immediate aftermath of the May 12 cancellation.
The hard work, sacrifices, and dreams of more than 22 lakh students have been crushed by this corrupt BJP regime. If destiny is determined not by hard work but by money and connections, then what meaning will education hold.
Gandhi called the leak "a crime against the future of the youth", saying Modi's promised "Amrit Kaal (golden age)" had turned into a "poison era." He demanded full parliamentary discussion on NEET and said: "We will keep raising this issue and build pressure on the government."
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the NEET crisis showed that "paper leaks, corruption, irregularities, and education mafia has infiltrated the education system." He accused the Centre of "protecting the paper-leak mafia", claimed at least four NEET papers have leaked since 2016 under BJP rule, and demanded the NTA be dissolved entirely.
Those who cannot prevent paper leak, how would they run the government? It's a case of complete collusion. We asked for Make in India — they gave us Leak in India.
The INDIA alliance formally issued five joint demands:
Protests have erupted across India since May 12:
Protest slogans included: "Dharmendra Pradhan Istifa Do!" (Step Down), "We asked for Make in India — you gave us Leak in India!", and "PM is compromised" — a phrase printed on T-shirts worn at the Jantar Mantar demonstration.
One of the most unusual — and effective — forces to emerge from the NEET 2026 crisis is the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical youth movement that has crossed 20 million Instagram followers and taken its protests from the internet to the streets of five cities.
Founded: May 2026
Founder: Abhijeet Dipke — political communication strategist and journalist
Slogan: "Main Bhi Cockroach" (I Am Also a Cockroach)
Protest Locations: Jantar Mantar (New Delhi, June 6), Savitribai Phule Pune University, Lucknow, Amritsar, Hyderabad (Dharna Chowk, June 14)
Dipke flew from Boston, USA, to personally lead the Jantar Mantar protest on June 6, carrying Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's autobiography — a pointed symbol of constitutional rights and social justice in the context of an examination scandal that disproportionately affects first-generation aspirants from modest backgrounds.
Education reformer Sonam Wangchuk pledged to join the movement if Pradhan did not resign by June 5.
We are demanding accountability in the system. The transfers are being projected as action. It's not. There's a rot in the system.
The CJP's demands:
The movement cited five student suicides linked to exam-related stress and uncertainty caused by the cancellation — a figure that has been raised in parliamentary debate and in opposition statements.
The 2026 crisis did not arrive without warning. This is the third consecutive year that NEET UG has been engulfed in controversy.
NEET 2024: Exam held May 5, 2024. Results showed mathematically impossible top scores in specific centres. Paper leak allegations across Bihar, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. 1,563 students were awarded grace marks controversially. The Supreme Court ordered a retest for those students. NTA chief was sacked. Six FIRs filed. Multiple arrests made.
NEET 2025: CBI investigators found evidence that the same network responsible for the 2026 leak also compromised the 2025 paper — establishing a pattern of sustained, multi-year infiltration of the examination supply chain.
NEET 2026: Largest in scale. 22.8 lakh students. Full cancellation. First-ever full retest for all candidates. First-ever IAF deployment for question paper transport. First-ever Telegram national block.
Congress claims at least four NEET papers have leaked since 2016 under BJP government.
CPI-M's Brinda Karat identified a structural cause: the increasing reliance on private companies for the digital aspects of examination management has created systemic vulnerabilities. When any single point in that chain is compromised, there is no institutional redundancy to catch it.
The Telegram ban itself has divided opinion sharply.
Supporters of the ban — primarily students, parents, and exam-integrity advocates — argue that millions of students who studied honestly for years deserve maximum protection. A six-day platform block is a small inconvenience compared to another cancelled exam.
Critics raise civil liberties concerns: that banning an entire platform because some channels misuse it is a blunt instrument. Fraudsters can simply migrate to another app. And the precedent of blocking a major messaging platform for exam security could be applied more broadly in future.
Legal scholars note that India's internet freedom ranking has been declining, and that each invocation of Section 69A — however temporarily — chips away at the digital rights framework.
Cyber law experts have a more pragmatic view: "The reality is that Telegram does not have an office in India, and consequently they don't respond to the requests of Indian law enforcement at all, or not quickly enough."
22.8 lakh students appear across 551 cities in India and 14 cities abroad. Pen-and-paper mode, 2 PM to 5 PM. Over 5,400 exam centres.
Sikar teacher Shashikant Suthar flags a "guess paper" circulating in coaching circles. Comparison reveals ~140 questions match the actual exam paper. State police alerted.
NTA officially cancels NEET UG 2026 for all 22.8 lakh students — an unprecedented move. CBI takes over the investigation from state police. Opposition protests begin the same evening.
Rahul Gandhi calls it "a crime against the youth." Kejriwal calls it "the biggest betrayal." Education Minister Pradhan declines to answer media questions.
NTA announces re-exam date: June 21, 2026. No fresh registration, no additional fees. Existing admit cards valid. City change option provided to students.
Political journalist Abhijeet Dipke launches the CJP online via Instagram and X. Goes viral within days.
CBI arrests Shivaraj Motegaonkar, owner of Renukai Chemistry Classes in Latur, Maharashtra — extending the investigation into the Nashik-Latur corridor.
Congress organises protests across India. Water cannons deployed in Jaipur. CJP surpasses 10 million followers on Instagram.
CBI arrests Manisha Sanjay Havaldar — headmistress of a Pune school, appointed by NTA as a subject expert. She had printed leaked material, burned handwritten notes, and erased chat history. NEET UG papers, NTA identity card copies, and cash recovered in raid.
Government confirms the Indian Air Force will transport NEET UG question papers for the retest — a historic first.
CBSE chairman and secretary transferred. Opposition dismisses the transfers as a "cover-up" rather than accountability.
Two men arrested in Kota for running 8 fake Telegram channels called "Private Mafia" promising re-NEET papers. Transactions totalling ₹1.5 crore found in their accounts.
CJP protests at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Abhijeet Dipke flies from Boston to lead the event. Heavy police deployment. Sonam Wangchuk aligns with the movement's demands.
NEET UG 2026 retest admit cards released. Rouse Avenue court extends custody of five accused.
Home Secretary Govind Mohan chairs a security review meeting with all state officials. Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan reviews inter-ministry coordination.
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology blocks Telegram nationwide until June 22 under Section 69A of the IT Act. Message editing disabled until June 30. NTA issues statement regret for inconvenience to genuine users.
The retest is scheduled across India. IAF helicopters transport papers to 18 locations. Signal jammers, biometric checks, AI surveillance, and GPS tracking at all centres.
Platform access restored across India.
Telegram's message-editing feature re-enabled for all users in India.
NEET UG shifts from pen-and-paper to Computer-Based Test format — a structural change intended to eliminate the specific vulnerabilities exploited in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
| Name | Role | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Dharmendra Pradhan | Union Education Minister | Government face of the crisis; announced CBT shift; target of resignation demands |
| Govind Mohan | Home Secretary | Chaired state security review meetings; coordinated law enforcement response |
| T.V. Somanathan | Cabinet Secretary | Reviewed cross-ministry preparedness |
| Rajnath Singh | Defence Minister | Chaired meeting approving IAF deployment for paper transport |
| PM Narendra Modi | Prime Minister | Personally briefed on all security arrangements |
| Rahul Gandhi | Congress — Leader of Opposition | Demanded parliamentary debate; called leak a crime against youth |
| Mallikarjun Kharge | Congress President | Called for NTA dissolution; accused Centre of protecting leak mafia |
| Arvind Kejriwal | AAP National Convener | Consistent demand for Pradhan resignation; called it complete collusion |
| Sonam Wangchuk | Education Reformer / Activist | Aligned with CJP; threatened to join protests if Pradhan did not resign |
| Abhijeet Dipke | CJP Founder | Flew from Boston to lead Jantar Mantar protest |
| Shashikant Suthar | Chemistry Teacher, Sikar | Discovered the leak by comparing guess paper with actual exam |
| Manisha S. Havaldar | Headmistress (accused) | NTA subject expert who printed and shared leaked material; arrested by CBI |
| P.V. Kulkarni | Chemistry Professor (accused) | Ran classes where exam questions were dictated; main accused |
| Digvijaya Singh | Congress — Parliamentary Committee Chair | Convened committee meeting on NEET 2026 fallout |
The re-examination on June 21, 2026 will be watched more closely than any exam India has held in a generation. If it is conducted successfully and without any further breach, the government will claim vindication — the unprecedented security apparatus will be credited.
If another incident surfaces, the political and legal consequences will be severe. The INDIA bloc's demands for Pradhan's resignation, an NTA dissolution, and court-monitored investigation will become exponentially harder to resist.
Either way, two structural changes are now locked in:
Every year, NEET UG determines who becomes a doctor in India. The aspirants who appeared on May 3, 2026 were not merely candidates — they were the next generation of physicians, surgeons, and healthcare workers for a country of 1.4 billion people. The integrity of this examination is not an administrative detail. It is a public health matter.
Sources: Business Standard, Business Today, India Post, The Print, National Herald India, One India, Republic Bharat, Deccan Herald, ANI, Medical Dialogues, The Tribune, Outlook India, The Quint, Careerindia, New Kerala, NTA official statements, CBI press releases, Ministry of Education, MeitY.
National Testing Agency (NTA) — Official Website Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
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