Telegram Ban Ahead of NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam is Collective Punishment, says CEO - Video

Ahead of the NEET UG 2026 re-examination, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has criticised the Indian government's temporary ban on the messaging platform, calling it a case of "collective punishment." In a post on X, Durov said the week-long restriction penalised more than 150 million ordinary Telegram users instead of those responsible for leaking examination materials.

He argued that the ban failed to stop the circulation of leaked content, claiming that such activities simply shifted to other platforms. The Centre had temporarily blocked Telegram after reports that several channels were spreading fake NEET question papers and attempting to defraud students before the June 21 re-examination, according to India Today.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) said the action followed months of monitoring Telegram channels allegedly operated by organised cheating syndicates. According to the agency, channels claiming to provide leaked NEET papers demanded payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees from candidates and parents. The NTA maintained that no examination paper exists outside its secure process and warned that all such claims were fraudulent. Authorities said the temporary restriction was intended to curb exam-related scams and protect the integrity of the re-examination, while Telegram continued to face scrutiny over its alleged misuse for spreading such content.